Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

JACKSON — The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers became a pressure cooker on Saturday and you should see what they cooked up.

The Lady Tigers used their speed and quickness to apply intense pressure on both ends of the court as they beat the Lucasville Valley Lady Indians 46-34 Saturday to win the Division III sectional tournament.

Ironton (19-5) forced 21 turnovers but even more impressive was allowing Valley to make only eight field goals for the game and limiting them to a mere two offensive rebounds.

“Our defensive pressure was the key. We allowed them only one shot. When you get teams in the tournament and that team gets two shots, they’re going to make one of them,” said Ironton coach Doug Graham.

Ironton will now play at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21, at Waverly’s Downtown Arena against Peebles who knocked off Lynchburg Clay 50-25.

Lexie Barrier scored 17 points and also had 7 steals and 6 rebounds for the Lady Tigers. Ariel Schweickart scored 12 points to go with 6 rebounds. Alicia Murphy pulled down a team-high 8 rebounds and Macy Wise grabbed 6 more as Ironton dominated the glass 40-26.

Lexie Doddridge scored 14 points — she was 7 of 7 from the foul line — and McKenzie Coriell had 10 points for Lucasville (15-9). Bethany Conley had 10 rebounds.

A steal and layup by Coriell gave Valley a 2-0 lead, but it was the only led of the game for the Lady Indians.

Ironton went on a 9-0 run to lead 9-2 with 1:57 left in the quarter. A layup by Schweickart made it 13-8 at the end of the quarter.

The Lady Tigers’ allowed Valley only three field goal attempts in the second quarter. The Lady Indians were 3 of 5 from the foul line for all their points and it was 23-11 at the half.

“Valley is really strong and they like the half-court game. Applying pressure and making them shoot quickly was part of the plan going into the game,” said Graham. “Any time you hold a team to 11 points in a half, that’s really good.”

Doddridge hit a 3-pointer to begin the second half, but a steal and layup by Barrier, a foul shot by Lexie Washington, a baseline shot by Karlee McMackin and a layup by Barrier opened up a 30-14 lead at the 2:11 mark.

Barrier’s 15-footer just before the buzzer gave Ironton a 32-19 lead.

Two free throws each by Doddridge and Kamryn Conaway had Valley within 33-23 with 5:46 left, but Barrier drove for two straight layups and McMackin’s layup stretched the lead to 39-23 with 4:31 left and Valley never got closer than the final score.

Lucasville 8 3 8 15 = 34

Ironton 13 10 9 14 = 46

LUCASVILLE VALLEY (15-9): Darby High 0 0 0-0 0, Taylor Skaggs 0 0 0-0 0, McKenzie Coriell 1 1 5-6 10, Lexie Doddridge 2 1 7-7 14, Bethany Conly 2 0 2-4 6, Megan Duduit 1 0 0-0 2, Kamryn Conaway 0 0 2-3 2, Madison Osborne 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8-31 16-20 34. 3-point goals: 2-10. Rebounds: 2 offense, 24 defense = 26 (Conley 10, Conaway 5). Team rebounds: 2. Assists: 3. Steals: 7 (Duduit 2, Conley 2). Turnovers: 21. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (19-5): Lexie Washington 0 0 2-4 2, Lexie Barrier 7 1 0-1 17, Ariel Schweickart 2 1 5-8 12, Karlee McMackin 2 0 1-2 5, Alicia Murphy 1 0 1-2 3, Jordan Hannan 1 0 0-0 2, Macy Wise 2 0 1-2 5, Alana Martin 0 0 0-0 0, Taylor Hannan 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-51 10-19 46. 3-point goals: 2-9. Rebounds: 17 offense, 23 defense = 40 (Murphy 8, Barrier 6, Schweickart 6, Wise 6). Team rebounds: 6. Assists: 4 (Washington 2). Steals: 13 (Barrier 7, Schweickart 2, J. Hannan 2). Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.