Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — It was an elevator game for the Fairland Dragons. Their performance went up and down. Fortunately, they finished on the top floor.

Fairland used strong second and fourth quarters to overcome good first and third quarters by Rock Hill as the Dragons beat the Redmen 75-57 Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference.

“The effort was there, but we just didn’t play well in the first half,” said Fairland coach Nathan Speed. “It took awhile but we got going in the second half and played well.”

Cody Midkiff had 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals to lead the Dragons (15-4, 8-0). Evan Maddox had 23 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Kyle Raines also had 8 rebounds.

Austin Collins scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Rock Hill (6-13, 1-8). Joey Stidham scored 16 points and Jacob Falls had 13 points.

The game was nip-and-tuck early with Nathan Campbell and Maddox combining for 12 points as Fairland took an 18-17 first quarter lead.

Midkiff came off the bench midway through the second quarter and scored 10 points as Fairland pulled away to a 39-28 lead. Stidham had 8 of Rock Hill’s 11 points in the quarter.

Falls scored 7 points in the third quarter as Rock Hill cut the deficit to 55-46. Maddox kept the Dragons ahead with 10 points.

Collins scored 8 points in the fourth quarter but Midkiff scored 13 points including 6 of 8 from the foul line as Fairland pulled away.

On Tuesday, Fairland hosts Coal Grove in a key OVC game. The Dragons won 76-72 in triple overtime in the previous meeting. Fairland visits Chesapeake on Saturday.

Rock Hill travels to Chesapeake on Tuesday in a league game.

Fairland 18 21 16 20 = 75

Rock Hill 17 11 18 11 = 57

FAIRLAND (15-4, 8-0): Thayer Flynn 1-1 0-0 0-0 2, Cody Midkiff 4-5 3-8 7-12 24, Chance Short 0-2 0-2 1-2 1, Luke Phillips 2-8 0-0 3-6 7 Nathan Campbell 4-6 0-1 1-1 9, Phillip Beaty 0-0 1-1 0-0 3, Kyle Raines 1-6 0-0 0-0 2, Evan Maddox 4-11 3-6 6-6 23, Dionte Braye 2-3 0-0 0-0 4, Tyler Campbell 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Warner 0-0 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-60 18-27 75. 3-point goals: 7-18. Rebounds: 39 (Maddox 8, Raines 8, Midkiff 8). Assists: 14 (Maddox 5, Midkiff 3). Steals: 5 (Midkiff 3). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: None.

ROCK HILL (6-13, 1-8): Evan Morris 0-4 0-0 1-2 1, Joey Stidham 3-8 0-3 10-13 16, Austin Collins 5-8 1-3 7-8 20, Jacob Falls 6-11 0-2 1-3 13, Shane Harper 0-0 0-0 2-4 2, Layden Delawder 1-2 1-6 0-0 5. Totals: 17-47 21-30 57. 3-point goals: 2-14. Rebounds: 28 (Collins 12). Assists: 2. Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: None.