Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

LLOYD, Ky. — Trading places.

When Greenup County’s 3-pointer shooting ace Robbie Dillon fouled out in overtime, the Musketeers just inserted Christian Wireman who hit two straight 3-pointers that erased a 4-point Ironton lead and vaulted his team into the lead.

Greenup made it stand as the Musketeers survived the Fighting Tigers 63-57 Monday.

Ironton coach Mark LaFon said the team was well aware of Wireman’s abilities going into the game.

“We wrote it on the board six times. We knew he could (shoot 3-pointers). He just hit the shots,” said LaFon.

Ironton (0-15) had a chance to win at the end of regulation when Tristan Cox made two foul shots with eight seconds left that put the Fighting Tigers ahead 52-50.

But Dillon missed a shot only to get a foul call and hit his free throws to tie the game with 2.6 seconds left.

“We were there. The kids battled in a tough atmosphere. They gave a great effort,” said LaFon.

Cox finished with 20 points and nine rebounds while Joe Bowling scored 16 and had nine rebounds. Isaac Sherman had seven rebounds.

Dillon scored 26 points for the Musketeers (6-9). Gage Hughes had 12 points including 4-of-6 from the foul line at the end of the overtime. Jair Jackson scored 11.

Greenup held the lead on two occasions early in the first quarter, but a baseline shot by Bowling and a layup by Cox put Ironton on top 9-6.

The Musketeers got within 20-19 in the second quarter on a basket by Hughes. Isaac Sherman scored six points in the second quarter including a layup off a pass from Richard Crockrel and Ironton had its biggest lead of 26-20.

Greenup cut the gap to 28-26 on a 3-pointer by Hughes, but a layup by Phillip Kratzenberg and four points by Bowling over the final seconds of the half helped open up a 34-28 lead at the break.

The key to the game may have come at the start of the second half when the Musketeers went on an 8-0 run to take a 36-34 lead.

Ironton did come back to take the lead on two occasions in the quarter.

Crockrel’s steal and layup made it 38-36, and a layup by Nate Garred put the Fighting Tigers up 42-41.

But Greenup got a putback by Jackson and a 3-pointer by Dillon and it was 46-44 at the end of the quarter.

The lead changed hands five times in the quarter.

Trailing 50-44 near the midway point of the fourth quarter, Ironton got an 18-footer from Bowling, a baseline shot by Kratzenberg and a runner in the lane by Bowling to tie the game.

Cox and Dillon then exchanged their free throws and sent the game into overtime.

Jackson made a foul shot to begin the overtime, but Cox turned a steal into a 3-point play and it was 55-53.

Bowling’s two foul shots pushed the lead to 57-53 with 1:38 left. Wireman then buried his triples and it was 59-57 with 50 seconds left.

Ironton missed a shot and was forced to foul. Each time Hughes was sent to the line and converted 4-of-6 attempts to seal the win.

Ironton plays Wesley Christian at 7 p.m. Thursday in the O.J. Mayo Classic at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, W.Va.

Ironton 16 18 10 8 5 = 57

Greenup 14 14 18 6 11 = 63

IRONTON (0-15): Tristan Cox 7 0 6-7 20, Joe Bowling 6 0 4-6 16, Phillip Kratzenberg 2 1 0-0 7, Richard Crockrel 3 0 0-0 6, Desmond Young 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Sherman 3 0 0-1 6, Nate Garred 1 0 0-0 2, Marques Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Lucas Campbell 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-54 10-14 57. 3-point goals: 1-12. Fouls: 24. Fouled out: Sherman, Young. Rebounds: 13-OR, 24-DR = 37 (Cox 9, Bowling 9, Sherman 7). Team/deadball rebounds: 1. Assists: 5 (Crockrel 2, Cox 2). Steals: 7 (Crockrel 3, Bowling 2). Turnovers: 12.

GREENUP COUNTY (6-9): Gage Hughes 2 1 5-8 12, Jherrell Jackson 0 1 0-0 3, Jair Jackson 4 0 3-7 11, Robbie Dillon 3 5 5-6 26, Brandon Johnson 0 0 1-4 1, Austin Grooms 1 0 0-0 2, J.B. Brown 0 0 0-1 0, Christian Wireman 0 2 2-2 8. Totals: 19-50 16-28 63. 3-point goals: 9-25. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Dillon, Johnson. Rebounds: 13-OR, 21-DR = 34 (Ja. Jackson 13). Team/deadball rebounds: 2). Assists: 1. Steals: 8 (Jherrell Jackson 3, Jair Jackson 2, Hughes 2). Turnovers: 10.