WESTWOOD, Ky. - Life on the road is hard to survive. Just ask the Ironton Fighting Tigers.

Trailing with time running out, Dennis Gagai hit a 3-point goal with 2:42 to play that gave the Ironton Fighting Tigers a 47-46 win over the Fairview Eagles Tuesday.

"We won a game in adverse conditions," Ironton coach Roger Zornes said. "It was a good game because of the conditions. It was tight, the atmosphere was hostile, and it went down to the last second."

The adversity began with Fairview making 10 of 20 shots the first half. Also, Ironton shot only three foul shots for the game to 15 for the Eagles. Then the Fighting Tigers lost starter Joe Zornes to fouls with 1:46 to play and the game's outcome still hanging in the balance.

"We didn't have a great shooting night, but we got some steals and stepped up and hit some big shots when we needed it," coach Zornes said. "I really didn't fuss at them all night. We were giving the effort."

Fairview was up 42-37 on a layup by Jeremy Bayless with seven minutes left, but Ironton got within 44-42 on a layup by backup guard Chad Miller with 4:02 left.

"Chad came in and did a nice job for us," coach Zornes said.

Gagai hit his shot to put Ironton ahead and the two teams traded missed shots to give Fairview one final chance.

But a 17-footer by Justin Hutchinson missed with two seconds left and Gagai grabbed the rebound as time ran out.

The game was tied six times and there were nine lead changes.

The Fighting Tigers biggest lead was 35-31 with 2:45 left in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Joe Zornes. But a 3-point play by Cody Fannin and a 3-pointer by Brett Cooksey with five seconds left in the quarter put the Eagles up 37-35.

Fairview went up 41-37 to start the fourth quarter before the Fighting Tigers began their comeback.

Ironton (9-0) was led by Gagai with 18 points while Cliff Howard had 10 points and six rebounds.

Fannin had 21 points and nine rebounds for Fairview (5-6).

Ironton12131012-47

Fairview1411129-46

IRONTON (9-0):

Dennis Gagai 8-14 (2-3) 0-0 18, Brigham Waginger 3-13 (0-2) 0-0 6, Joe Zornes 3-5 (1-2) 0-0 7, Cliff Howard 4-7 (0-0) 2-3 10, Marcus Williams 1-2 (0-0) 0-0 2, Greg Linn 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 0, Brent McBride 0-2 (0-0) 0-0 0, Patrick Kouns 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 0, Brandon Walker 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 0, Chad Miller 2-2 (0-0) 0-0 4. Totals: 21-45

(3-7)

2-3

47. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Zornes (4th 1:46). Rebounds: 7-19=26 (Howard 6, Gagai 4, Waginger 4). Team/deadball rebound: 1. Assists: 7 (Waginger 6). Steals: 6 (Gagai 3). Turnovers: 12.

FAIRVIEW (5-6):

Alex Barker 4-9 (1-4) 0-1 9, Brett Cooksey 3-7 (1-3) 0-0 7, Justin Hutchinson 2-9 (2-6 ) 1-4 7, Cody Fannin 6-12 (0-0) 9-10 21, Cody Black 0-2 (0-0) 0-0 0, Bruce Gibson 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 0, Jeremy Bayless 1-2 (0-0) 0-0 2. Totals: 18-40

(4-12)

10-15

46. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 9-15=24 (Fannin 9, Black 7). Team/deadball rebounds: 1. Assists: 4 (Cooksey 3). Steals: 3. Turnovers: 15.