Tribune Sports Editor

ATHENS — It was the Ironton Fighting Tigers’ version of the two-minute warning.

Ironton coach Mark LaFon rotated his players in two-minute intervals and the fresh legs enabled the Fighting Tigers to create 12 turnovers in the second half as they outscored Adena 34-21 after the break en route to a 59-39 rout of the Warriors Saturday night in the Division III district semifinals at Ohio University.

“They were tired in the first half. I didn’t rotate my guys quick enough,” LaFon said. “At halftime I asked them to give me two minutes and then I’ll take you out. Once we got going, we got steals and layups and we were able to pull away.”

Ironton (17-5) will now play North Adams at 9 p.m. next Saturday in the district finals. North Adams beat Federal Hocking 63-54.

Chad Miller, who led Ironton with 22 points, said LaFon told the players he wasn’t pleased with their first half effort.

“He got on us at halftime. He said we had to set the pace and show them what we really got and put them away,” Miller said.

Miller had the hot hand early as he hit a pair of 3-pointers and made a layup and T.J. Keith hit a 15-footer to help Ironton jump out to a 10-2 lead.

Adena (14-8) came back to tie the game at 10, but Keith followed up a missed shot and Miller had two more layups and it was 16-10.

Adena 108 8 13 = 39

Ironton 1691717 =59

ADENA (14-8): Dylan Givens 2 0 2-4 6, Clint Roush 3 0 1-2 7, T.J. Pierce 1 0 0-0 2, Michael Hitchens 1 0 0-0 2, David Halcomb 1 0 1-2 3, Clay Roll 2 2 1-3 11, Collin Uhrig 2 0 2-5 6, Clay Ragland 0 0 2-2 2,Brandon Kinnamon 0 0 0-0 0, Logan Hauserman 0 0 0-0 0, Andrew Jordan 0 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 14-43

9-18

39. 3-point goals: 2-10. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

Rebounds: 9-20=29 (Givens 8, Roush 6). Assists: 6

(Roush 3). Steals: 5 (Roll 2). Turnovers: 20. Blocked

shots: 1 (Hitchens).

IRONTON (17-5):

Marc Carter 3 0 2-2 8, Alstan Carter 3 0 2-4 8, Chad Miller 7 2 2-5 22, T.J. Keith 2 0 0-0 4, Andy Colegrove 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Shoemaker 0 0 1-2 1, Dustin Green 4 0 1-1 9, Zach Christensen 0 1 4-4 7, Shannon Hensley 0 0 0-0 0, Bub Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Jon Schweickart 0 0 0-0 0, Brandon Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Lukas Morris 0 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 22-44

12-20

59. 3-point goals: 3-11. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Keith (4th 4:35). Rebounds: 5-21=26 (Colegrove 4, Green 4).Assists: 11 (M. Carter 4, Miller 3). Steals: 15 (M. Carter 5,

Miller 3). Turnovers: 12. Blocked shots: 1 (A. Carter).