The keys to success were on a small key ring for the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers.

Ironton coach Doug Graham gave his team two key items and the Lady Tigers picked the lock perfectly as they beat the Oak Hill Lady Oaks 55-37 Saturday

“The first key we had before the game was rebounding. The second key was pressuring them and not let them get into their offensive sets,” said Graham. “They like to run their sets and they get a lot of shots.”

Ironton held a commanding 39-23 rebound advantage including 13 on offense to just three for the Lady Oaks. Alex Taylor had seven rebounds, Mercedes Crockrel and Brea Tackett six each, and Jessica Waddle, Michelle Pancake, and Lorna Ceasar all grabbed five.

As for disrupting the offense, Ironton forced 21 turnovers, had 13 steals, and limited the Lady Oaks to just 13-of-37 shooting from the field.

“Jessica did a good job of setting the table and getting other people the ball. Mercedes did a good job of getting the ball in the middle and breaking the press,” said Graham.

“Brea stepped up and hit some shots like we knew she could. Our other girls did a great job defensively contesting the ball and rebounding. It was a nice team effort.”

Tackett enjoyed her best offensive game of the season with a game-high 17 points. Crockrel scored 16 and Taylor had 12.

Karissa Adkins had nine points to pace Oak Hill (5-4).

The Lady Oaks led 4-2 on a layup by Taylor Butler at the 6:09 mark, but it proved to be the last Oak Hill lead.

Crockrel followed up a missed shot

at the 5:32 mark to put Ironton up for good at 6-4 and a free throw by Taylor had the lead at 11-8 to end the quarter.

Two baskets by Trackett and a layup by Crockrel produced a 6-0 run to start the second quarter and it was 17-8. A layup by Janie Morris off a pass from Waddle gave the Lady Tigers a 21-14 halftime lead.

Ironton (4-4) pulled away to a 15-point lead in the third quarter on two occasions and held the upper hand at 41-28 as the quarter ended.

A 3-pointer by Mikie Strite and free throw by Butler got Oak Hill within 41-32, but four straight points by Waddle and a layup by Taylor off a feed from Tackett pushed the lead back to 47-33.

Ironton scored the final six points of the game for its biggest lead.

Graham took a moment to reflect on a tragic auto accident this week involving Oak Hill students that left one youth dead.

“Ironton High School would like to offer our thoughts and prayers to the Lady Oaks and the Oak Hill community at this time of grief and sorrow,” said Graham.

Ironton will play Friday at Gallipolis with a two-quarter jayvee game at 6 p.m.

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OAK HILL (5-4): Kayla Moore 0 0 1-2 1, Mikie Strite 0 2 1-2 7, Taylor Butler 3 0 1-4 7, Kaylin Marshall 2 0 3-7 7, Karissa Adkins 3 0 3-4 9, Kelsey Burton 3 0 0-0 6, Brittany Gilliland 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13-37 9-19 37. 3-point goals: 2-7. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 3-20=23 (Bruton 8, Adkins 5). Assists: 4 (Marshall 2). Steals: 6 (Moore 2). Turnovers: 21.

IRONTON (4-4): Jessica Waddle 1 0 2-2 4, Mercedes Crockrel 8 0 0-0 16, Alex Taylor 4 0 4-8 12, Brea Tackett 6 1 2-2 17, Michelle Pancake 0 0 2-2 2, Lorna Ceasar 0 0 0-2 0, Edi Taylor 0 0 0-0 0, Janie Morris 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 22-55 10-16 55. 3-point goals: 1-3. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 13-26=39 (A. Taylor 7, Crockrel 6, Tackett 6, Ceasar 5, Waddle 5, Pancake 5, E. Taylor 3, Morris 2). Team rebounds: 0. Assists: 9 (Tackett 4, Waddle 3). Steals: 13 (Pancake 4, A. Taylor 3, Tackett 2, Morris 2). Turnovers: 15.

RESERVES (2 quarters): Ironton 23, Oak Hill 9. Ironton leaders: Nikki Elswick 8, Janie Morris 5, Timmaya Taylor 4. Oak Hill: K. Adkins 6.