Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — The Rock Hill Redmen seem to have borrowed a move from former WWE wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin: The stunner.

For the third time this season, the Redmen pulled off a stunning upset win as they beat the Fairland Dragons 74-66 Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Last week, the Redmen won at Symmes Valley and three weeks ago they pulled off a major upset at Coal Grove.

Rock Hill and Fairland met last Friday and the Dragons won 62-41.

“That’s one of the best games we’ve played. Kids played their tails off. They never give up. They pressed us at their place the whole game and we didn’t handle it. This time we were able to beat the press and we kept attacking the basket,” said Redmen coach Dave Hopper.

Austin Collins led the Redmen (4-17, 2-8) with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Joey Stidham scored 17 and Alex Nance had 12.

Fairland (10-10, 5-4) was led by Luke Phillips with 15 points and Shane Stevens with 13.

Phillips had 10 points in the first quarter as Fairland took a 13-9 lead.

Stidham scored 13 points in the second quarter and Collins had seven as Rock Hill rallied to lead 34-24 at the half. The Redmen led by as many as 14.

In the third quarter, Nathan Campbell had six points as Fairland came back to take a one-point lead.

But Collins scored seven points as the Redmen regained the lead at 50-45.

Collins scored 10 more points in the fourth quarter and the Redmen were 12-of-22 at the foul line to secure the upset win. Jacob Warner had all seven of his points in the quarter for Fairland.

“If we make our free throws, we put them away. The big thing is, our kids played great defense and they played hard,” said Hopper.

The two teams will play in the Division III sectional tournament this week at Jackson. Fairland faces Belpre at 5 p.m. on Monday and Rock Hill plays Chesapeake at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday.

Fairland 13 11 21 21 = 66

Rock Hill 9 25 16 24 = 74

FAIRLAND (10-10, 5-4): Thayer Flynn 3 0 2-5 8, Chance Short 1 0 3-4 5, Jacob Warner 2 0 4-6 7, Luke Phillips 7 0 1-3 15, Nathan Campbell 3 0 3-4 9, Evan Maddox 0 2 1-2 7, Shane Stevens 1 3 2-2 13, Hayden James 0 0 2-2 2. Totals: 17 5 17-28 66. Fouls: 30. Fouled out: Short, Phillips.

ROCK HILL (4-17, 2-8): Aaron Dalton 0 2 0-0 6, Alex Nance 4 0 4-6 12, Chance Blankenship 3 0 3-8 9, Joey Stidham 1 2 9-13 17, Austin Collins 9 0 8-17 26, Jordan Hairston 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Barcus 1 0 2-2 4. Totals: 18 4 26-46 74. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Nance.