Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PROCTORVILLE — Offense anyone?

The Fairland Dragons opened the season on Tuesday with what seemed to be an entire year of scoring as they crushed the Portsmouth West Senators 102-54 in a non-league game.

Despite the offensive output, Fairland coach Nathan Speed was more impressed with the defensive effort.

“Defensively, we played solid even in half-court. That’s the biggest improvement over last year. We shot the ball well and we moved the ball well. We didn’t force a lot of shots,” said Speed.

“It was good to see our guys get out and run in transition tonight like we wanted. That’s the best thing we did tonight. We’re playing really unselfish.”

The Dragons had five players in double figures to lead the offensive onslaught.

Kollin Van Horn has 17 points and 6 rebounds and Luke Thomas scored 16 points as he made 4-of-8 from behind the arc.

Gunner Short scored 14 points, Isaiah Howell had 13 points and 6 rebounds while Dairus Stapleton added 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Hunter Ashton had 5 rebounds while Ty Staten had 7 assists and 3 steals.

Drew Howard scored 12 points to lead West (0-1).

Thomas drained three 3-pointes and scored 11 points and Short had a pair of 3-poitners in the first quarter as Fairland erupted for 31 points to lead 31-11.

After leading 53-22 at the half, Van Horn and Howell scored 6 points each in the third quarter as the lead ballooned to 82-33.

Keedrick Cunningham had 6 points and Joel Lambiotte 5 more to lead the Fairland backups in the fourth quarter.

The Dragons host the Big E Classic on Saturday, Dec. 12.

Ports West 11 11 11 21 = 54

Fairland 31 22 29 20 = 102

PORTSMOUTH WEST (0-1): Job Swords 0-0 2-4 0-0 6, Tre Patrick 2-3 1-1 1-2 8, Jordan Tieman 0-0 1-1 0-0 3, Drew Howard 3-3 2-7 0-0 12, L.T. Maynard 1-2 0-5 0-0 2, Cody Finley 0-1 0-0 0-0 0, Sam Kegley 2-3 0-0 0-0 4, Ryan Caudill 0-2 1-2 0-0 3, Patrick Bays 2-3 0-0 1-1 5, Buster Boggs 1-2 0-2 0-0 0, Jordan Frasure 2-7 1-2 1-1 8, Austin Opperman 0-1 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 21-57 4-6 54. 3-point goals: 8-24. Rebounds: 18. Assists: 1. Steals: 2. Turnovers: 22. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.

FAIRLAND (1-0): Ty Staten 2-5 0-0 2-5 6, Brandon Porter 3-4 0-1 0-0 6, Isaiah Howell 4-5 1-3 2-2 13, Hunter Ashton 1-2 0-1 1-2 3, Kollin Van Horn 7-11 0-0 3-5 17, Keedrick Cunningham 4-8 0-0 1-1 9, Luke Thomas 2-2 4-8 0-1 16, Dairus Stapleton 5-8 0-0 0-0 10, Hayden James 1-1 0-1 1-2 3, Joel Lambiotte 1-3 1-1 0-0 5, Gunner Short 4-8 2-2 0-2 14. Totals: 43-74 10-20 102. 3-point goals: 8-17. Rebounds: 45 (Van Horn 6, Howell 6, Stapleton 5, Ashton 5). Assists: 16 (Staten 7). Steals 11 (Staten 3). Turnovers: 14. Blocked shots: 8 (Van Horn 5). Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.