Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

It was about pick-ups and putdowns for the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers.

Ironton picked up its defensive pressure and that helped put down the Chesapeake offense as the Lady Tigers rallied for a 40-34 win Friday.

Ironton trailed by 10 points at the end of the first quarter before picking up the pace. The defense held Chesapeake to just 10 points in the second half.

“We picked up the intensity defensively in the second quarter,” said Ironton coach Doug Graham. “Offensively we didn’t attack. We didn’t take horrible shots, we just took too many perimeter shots.”

Lexie Barrier had 20 points, five rebounds and three assists for Ironton (8-10). Taylor Hannan had six points and two steals, Jordan Hannan had three steals and Cheyenne Scott and Karlie Rase grabbed five rebounds each.

Ironton had 14 turnovers and forced Chesapeake into 24 mistakes.

Chesapeake (9-10) was led by Kaylee Curry with 18 points and 13 rebounds. She scored all 10 Lady Panther points in the second half.

Sydnee Hall had seven rebounds and Atiya Spaulding added eight points and five rebounds for the Lady Panthers.

“I was pleased with our effort. We played hard and we competed in the halfcourt,” said Chesapeake coach Chris Ball.

“Turnovers killed us. That’s been our Achilles heel all year. But we played a pretty solid game.”

Spaulding had six points and Peyton Walsh four as Chesapeake led 12-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Ironton went on an 8-0 run to tart the second quarter and tied the game at 18 on a layup by Barrier with 1:45 left in the half.

A putback by Walsh, a layup by Curry and a tip-in by Hall gave Chesapeake a 24-18 halftime lead.

Chesapeake held a 38-25 rebound advantage including 10-7 on the offensive glass. However, the Lady Panthers had only three offensive boards in the second half.

“We did a better job in the second half of cutting down their transition opportunities and their second chance opportunities,” said Graham.

The Lady Panthers were up 30-22 on a 10-footer by Curry, but Rase hit a baseline shot, Barrier scored three points and Rase made a layup with nine seconds left off a pass from Barrier and Ironton trailed 30-29.

Jordan Hannan turned a steal into a layup to begin the fourth quarter and Ironton had its first lead at 31-30 with 7:30 left.

Curry put Chesapeake back on top, but Barrier’s short jumper gave Ironton the lead for good with 5:42 to go.

Barrier then drained a trifecta with 4:50 left for a 36-32 lead and Macy Wise’s putback with 2:18 on the clock pushed the lead to 38-32.

Chesapeake 12 12 6 4 = 34

Ironton 2 16 11 11 = 40

CHESAPEAKE (9-10): Kaylee Curry 8 0 2-2 18, Taylor Martin 0 0 0-0 0, Sydnee Hall 1 0 0-0 2, Atiya Spaulding 4 0 0-0 8, Peyton Walsh 3 0 0-0 6, Baylee Mills 0 0 0-0 0, Kelsey Huff 0 0 0-0 0. Total: 16-45 2-2 34. 3-point goals: 0-5. Rebounds: 10-OR, 28-DR = 38 (Curry 13, Hall 7, Spaulding 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 8. Assists 4 (Hall 2). Steals: 7 (Martin 2). Turnovers: 24. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Spaulding (4th 0:36).

IRONTON (8-10): Jordan Hannan 2 0 0-0 4, Taylor Hannan 2 0 2-2 6, Lexie Barrier 8 1 1-4 20, Macy Wise 1 0 0-0 2, Cheyenne Scott 0 0 0-1 0, Karlie Rase 2 0 0-2 4, Alyssa Lewis 2 0 0-3 4. Totals: 18-47 3-12 40. 3-point goals: 1-12. Rebounds: 7-OR, 18-DR = 25 (Barrier 5, Scott 5, Rase 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 2. Assists: 7 (Barrier 3, Scott 2). Steals: 14 (Scott 3, J. Hannan 3, T. Hannan 2, Lewis 2, Rase 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 5. Fouled out: None.