Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

It was like putting together the ingredients to a recipe.

Yeah, a recipe made for a bad meatloaf.

It was a lot of different little things that went bad as the Ironton Fighting Tigers lost to the Portsmouth Trojans 50-36 Saturday.

Ironton (0-2) had 23 turnovers and shot just 12-of-41 for 29 percent, many shots from close range.

The Fighting Tigers had a 35-34 rebound advantage for the game, but were out-rebounded 20-12 the first half.

“We got the ball within 8-foot of the basket several times and didn’t finish. But it’s a combination of everything,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

“Sometimes it’s not taking care of the ball aggressively, sometimes it’s thinking too much, or some guys aren’t that strong right now. Turnovers are an issue for us right now.”

The Fighting Tigers’ inexperience — just two lettermen and no starters returning — proved to be a sore spot for the second straight game as they faced another veteran team. Ironton opened at Lucasville Valley on Tuesday.

“It’s not like we started the season off with two weak sisters. We started with two of the (area’s) strongest teams. I know our program is one of those strong teams, but right now we’re a young team,” said LaFon.

Portsmouth open the game by taking a 9-2 lead before Ironton got within 9-5 on a foul shot by Desmond Young at the 2:54 mark.

Layups by Allison and Klalil Lattimore opened up a 13-5 lead and it was 13-7 at the quarter.

The Trojans built a 26-11 cushion on a putback by Allison with 2:02 left in the half. A layup by Young and two free throws by Phillip Kratzenberg had Ironton within 26-15 at the break.

Portsmouth (1-0) took its biggest lead of the game when Allison and Isaiah Lisath hit back-to-back 3-pointers to begin the second half and it was 32-15 at the 6:38 mark.

The Fighting Tigers got back into the game with an 8-0 run that closed the gap to 32-25 with 2:55 left in the quarter.

A free throw by Allison with 5:21 left gave Portsmouth a 38-28 lead, but Joe Bowling hit a baseline shot and a 12-footer and Ironton trailed 38-32 with 3:50 to play.

Two free throws by Lucas Campbell pulled Ironton within 39-34 at the 3:11 mark, but the Trojans got a 3-point play by Allison with 2:18 on the clock and then converted 8-of-10 free throws over the final 1:31 including 4-of-4 by Sky Oliver and 4-of-6 by Allison.

Ironton (0-2) was led by Tristan Cox with 11 points and seven rebounds. Bowling had eight points and six rebounds, Isaac Sherman eight rebounds and Young grabbed seven.

Allison scored 19 points to lead all scorers. Oliver added 12 points and seven rebounds.

Portsmouth 13 13 6 18 = 50

Ironton 7 8 10 11 = 36

PORTSMOUTH (1-0): Sky Oliver 2 1 5-8 12, Isaiah Lisath 0 1 0-0 3, Ky’re Allison 5 1 6-12 19, Alex Dickerson 1 0 1-1 3, Hunter Gibson 0 0 1-4 1, Zach Delotell 0 0 2-2 2, Alex Grashel 0 0 0-0 0, Kendal Reynolds 2 0 2-2 6, Grant Underwood 1 0 0-0 2, Khalil Lattimore 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 15-41 17-29 50. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 3-21. Rebounds: 10 off, 24 def = 34 (Dickerson 7, Oliver 7, Allison 5). Team rebounds: 3. Assists: 4. Steals: 12 (Oliver 4, Allison 4). Turnovers: 16.

IRONTON (0-2): Joe Bowling 3 0 2-5 8, Tristan Cox 4 0 3-5 11, Nate Garred 1 0 2-2 4, Richard Crockrel 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Sherman 1 0 0-0 2, Desmond Young 2 0 1-4 5, Phillip Kratzenberg 1 0 2-2 4, Lucas Campbell 0 0 2-2 2, Hunter Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Charles Scott 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-41 12-20 36. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Bowling (4th 3:24), Sherman (4th 2:18). 3-point goals: 0-9. Rebounds: 10 off, 25 def = 35 (Sherman 8, Young 7, Cox 7, Bowling 6). Team rebounds: 1. Assists: 2 (Kratzenberg, Bowling). Steals: 8 (Garred 3, Kratzenberg 2). Turnovers: 23.