By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

BIDWELL — There’s a reason Fairland coach Nathan Speed calls Evan Maddox a spark plug.

Maddox had 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals to ignite a strong second half as the Dragons beat the River Valley Raiders 59-48 on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“We didn’t play well, but we never play well here,” said Speed.

“The difference was Evan Maddox in the second half. He lit a fire and put a charge in us. He started looking for his shot and we just took off.”

Fairland (4-0, 2-0) led 11-6 at the end of the first quarter and 22-17 at the half despite 8 points by Derek Flint in the second quarter.

Maddox had 8 points and Eric Riley scored 6 in the third quarter to extend the lead to 39-32.

Evan Salyers scored 7 points and Maddox hit 4 foul shots in the fourth quarter as the Dragons continued to pull away.

Salyers had his fourth double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Nathan Campbell added 10 points and 3 assists.

Flint finished with 22 points for the Raiders (1-4, 0-1).

Fairland 11 11 17 20 = 59

River Valley 6 11 15 16 = 48

FAIRLAND (4-0, 2-0): Cody Midkiff 0-2 0-0 0-0 0, Alec Warner 0-1 0-0 2-2 2, Eric Riley 4-6 0-0 0-1 8, Evan Maddox 4-8 0-2 6-8 14, Blaine Fuller 2-8 1-2 1-2 8, Nathan Campbell 2-2 2-2 2-4 10, Evan Salyers 7-13 0-0 1-1 15, Ryan Wooten 2-3 0-0 1-1 5. Totals: 24-50 11-19 59. 3-point goals: 3-6. Rebounds: 32 (Salyers 13, Maddox 5). Assists: 13 (Salyers 3, Campbell 3). Steals: 7 (Maddox 4). Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Wooten, Riley.

RIVER VALLEY (1-4, 0-2): Austin Whobrey 0-0 0-2 0-0 0, Derek Flint 5-7 3-7 3-5 22, Kyle Bays 1-3 0-0 0-0 2, Chris Clemente 0-3 0-0 0-2 0, Trey Noble 2-6 0-2 5-6 9, Aaron Harrison 4-8 0-1 1-5 9, Ethan Dovenbarger 3-7 0-0 0-4 6, Austin Lewis 0-3 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-49 9-22 48. 3-point goals: 3-12. Rebounds: 19 (Dovenbarger 5). Assists: 5 (Noble 3). Steals: 6 (Flint 3). Turnovers: 13.