Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

The Chesapeake Panthers finally got a lesson in playing a close game. It was a lesson well learned.

The unbeaten and No. 10-ranked Panthers had to go to overtime to fight off an upset bid by Ironton as Chesapeake edged the Fighting Tigers 41-40 on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“We haven’t been in that situation before. You’re not going to beat every team by double figures. I’d rather not do that very often, but I’d rather do it now than in the sectional (tournament),” said Panthers’ coach Ryan Davis.

Gage Rhoades scored 11 points to lead the Panthers (9-0, 4-0). Brad Meadows had 8 points and 7 rebounds while Nate Smith added 6 points, 3 assists and 4 steals.

Ironton (3-6, 1-2) had three players in double figures. Tristan Cox had 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, Phillip Kratzenberg had 11 points, 3 assists and a pair of steals, and Joe Bowling added 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Desmond Young had 6 rebounds as Ironton out-rebounded the taller Panthers 31-29.

“I’m proud of my guys. They played like Tigers. They did what we wanted them to do,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

“But we didn’t win. We’re getting there and I like the guys I have, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

Smith made two foul shots at the 2:12 mark of overtime to give Chesapeake a 39-27 lead.

Young made a foul shot with 1:37 left and a steal and layup by Marques Davis put the Fighting Tigers up 40-39 with 30 seconds left in overtime.

“You don’t turn it over at halfcourt. That’s a layup,” said coach Davis.

The Panthers went inside to Meadows who turned and hit a short jumper with 14 seconds left and it was 41-40.

“When you have guys who are 6-6 and 6-8, the ball has got to go to the post,” said coach Davis.

Ironton had a final chance but a 3-point shot by Davis hit off the rim.

The Panthers took a 12-5 first quarter lead, but Ironton cut the deficit to 21-20 at the half as Cox drained a trey with six seconds left.

Cox hit a layup with 5:13 left in the third quarter that put Ironton up 22-21.

But layups by Rhoades and Meadows, a foul shot and then a layup by Aaron Thompson at the 2:03 mark gave the Panthers a 28-22 lead.

Kratzenberg and Rhoades traded 3-pointers and Bowling’s 8-footer got Ironton within 31-27 at the end of the quarter.

“We did a good job guarding the post and we did a good job covering the perimeter, but that stretch in the third quarter when they took a six-point lead was the difference in the game,” said LaFon.

A trifecta by Kratzenberg tied the game at 34 with 3:45 left. Jake Stevens hit a 3-pointer to put the Panthers back on top and then Kratzenberg hit a foul shot and it was 37-35 with 42 seconds left in regulation.

A missed foul shot by the Panthers with 23 seconds on the clock gave Ironton new life and Cox was foul with 2.4 seconds left. He made both shots to force overtime.

Chesapeake 12 9 10 6 4 = 41

Ironton 5 15 7 10 3 = 40

CHESAPEAKE (9-0, 4-0): Kolton Webb 1 0 0-0 2, Nate Smith 2 0 2-3 6, Gage Rhoades 2 1 4-4 11, Brad Meadows 4 0 0-1 8, Aaron Thompson 1 0 4-6 6, Austin Carpenter 1 0 0-0 2, Jake Stevens 0 2 0-0 6. Totals: 14-40 10-14 41. 3-point goals: 3-17. Rebounds: 6-O, 23-D = 29 (Meadows 7, Thompson 5, Smith 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 2. Assists: 4 (Smith 3). Steals: 7 (Smith 4, Rhoades 2). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (3-6, 1-2): Phillip Kratzenberg 2 2 1-2 11, Joe Bowling 5 00-0 10, Tristan Cox 3 1 2-2 11, Marques Davis 1 1 0-0 5, Desmond Young 0 0 3-6 3, Raphael Glover 0 0 0-0 0, Tanner Price 0 0 0-0 0, Jake Isaac 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-43 6-10 40. 3-point goals: 4-10. Rebounds: 7-O, 24-D = 31 (Young 6, Cox 6, Bowling 5, Davis 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 7. Assists: 10 (Cox 4, Kratzenberg 3). Steals: 5 (Kratzenberg 2). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Bowling (4th 0:52).