Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

GALLIPOLIS — The Beast rollercoaster at Kings Island might have met its match.

Being young and inexperienced leads to a rollercoaster type team, and there’s not enough Dramamine on the shelf at CVS to keep Ironton coach Mark LaFon from getting sick.

The Fighting Tigers took Ohio Valley Conference favorite Fairland to the wire on Tuesday, but then shot 33 percent from 2-point range and 36 percent overall on Friday in a 43-40 loss to the Gallipolis Blue Devils.

Ironton (2-3, 0-2) was only 9-of-27 from 2-point range and 5-of-12 from behind the arc. Gallipolis (2-3, 2-2) was 15-of-35 from the floor for 43 percent.

Marques Davis had 10 points, Charlie Large 9 points and Phil Kratzenberg 8 points to pace Ironton. Tyler Webb grabbed 6 rebounds and Ryan Bryant pulled down 5.

Wes Jarrell scored a game-high 16 points for the Blue Devils.

Gallipolis took an early 10-4 lead as Jarrell and Evan Wiseman scored 4 points each.

But back-to-back baskets by Large and a trifecta by Bryant with a minute left in the quarter gave Ironton a 13-12 lead.

Ironton opened up the second quarter with three 3-pointers to ignite a 12-2 run capped by Ethan Wilson’s 3-point play with 5:18 on the clock and it was 26-16.

But four more turnovers enabled Gallipolis to get within 26-20 at the half as Justin McClelland hit a 10-footer and Devin Henry made a layup off a steal by Cole Carter.

Jarrell scored 6 points and Carter made two foul shots as Gallipolis went on an 8-0 run to begin the second half and the Blue Devils led 28-26.

Kratzenberg made two foul shots to tie the game at the 4:04 mark, but a layup by Wiseman put Gallipolis back on top at 30-28.

Large hit the first of two foul shots and Ironton was down 30-29 at the end of the quarter. The Fighting Tigers made just one field goal in the quarter.

Two free throws by Bryant tied the game at 31 with 6:45 left and a jumper by Davis with 5:39 to go put Ironton up 33-32. It was the Fighting Tigers’ last lead.

Kratzenberg drained a trey with 1:57 to go off a nice pass from Desmond Young and Ironton was down 37-36.

But Wiseman hit two foul shots for a 39-36 lead. Large knocked down a 14-footer but Henry made a layup with 24 seconds left for a 41-40 lead.

Jarrell was fouled with five seconds left and hit both shots and Ironton’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed.

The Fighting Tigers host the annual Ironton Classic on Monday and Tuesday.

Ironton 13 13 3 11 = 40

Gallipolis 12 8 10 13 = 43

IRONTON (2-3, 0-2): Phil Kratzenberg 1 1 3-4 8, Ethan Wilson 1 1 1-1 6, Marques Davis 2 2 0-0 10, Desmond Young 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Webb 1 0 0-1 3, Charlie Large 4 0 1-2 9, Ryan Bryant 0 1 2-2 5, Hunter Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Adkins 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-39 7-10 40. 3-point goals: 5-12. Rebounds: 8-O, 16-D = 24 (Webb 6, Bryant 5). Assists: 10 (Young 4). Steals: 8 (Kratzenberg 2, Large 2). Blocks: 1 (Bryant). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

GALLIPOLIS (2-3, 2-2): Miles Cornwell 1 0 1-2 3, Wes Jarrell 6 0 4-4 16, Evan Wiseman 3 0 2-2 8, Kole Carter 1 0 2-2 4, Justin McClelland 1 0 0-0 2, Devin Henry 2 0 2-5 6, Justin Peck 0 0 1-2 1, Drew VanSickle 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 15-35 12-17 43. 3-point goals: 1-6. Rebounds: 3-O, 16-D = 19 (Carter 5, Wiseman 4, Peck 4). Assists: 11 (Henry 3). Steals: 11 (Cornwell 3, Jarrell 3). Blocks: 1 (Peck). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.