Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — It was the tortoise vs. the hare, only this time the hare won.

But it went at a turtle’s pace for quite awhile.

Rock Hill slowed the tempo in the first half to make for a low-scoring game, but Ironton was able to get out and run in the second half and pulled away for 47-35 Ohio Valley Conference win on Tuesday.

“We started slow and then we got going a little bit,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon. “Hats off to the Rock Hill kids. They played their guts out. I mean they really did and they started to hit some big shots in the second half.”

Rock Hill (0-10, 0-4) led 4-2 after the first quarter and built a 10-4 lead on a 3-pointer by Tyler Damron midway through the second quarter.

But Ethan Wilson made a layup and then drained a trifecta with 46 seconds left in the half to give Ironton its first lead at 13-12.

“In some cases we’re not really playing with intensity. The kids are searching because they’re not confident. That’s just where we are. Rock Hill helped make that frustrating by packing that zone in and we missed our first eight shots from the perimeter,” said LaFon.

Nathan Turvey — who knocked down six 3-point goals for the game and scored 18 points — hit a trey to begin the second half and put Rock Hill up 15-13.

It was Rock Hill’s last lead as Phil Kratzenberg buried a triple, Wilson hit two straight baskets and freshman Ty Gunther made a 12-footer with just under three minutes on the clock for his first varsity basket and a 23-15 Ironton lead.

After a layup by Rock Hill freshman Mason Darby, Desmond Young sank two foul shots and then came up with a steal and layup as Ironton built a 27-17 lead at the 1:05 mark.

Damron hit another 3-pointer but freshman Ryan Bryant answered with one of his own. Turvey took his turn from behind the arc and the Redmen were down 30-23 at the end of the third quarter.

Turvey had two more 3-pointers and Damron added another to get Rock Hill within 34-31, but Gunther made a 10-footer and then got a rebound and went the length of the floor for a layup.

Wilson sank two foul shots, Kratzenberg hit from the baseline and Marques Davis nailed a 12-footer as Ironton opened up a 44-31 lead.

Ironton (4-5, 1-2) has been hampered by injuries and forced LaFon to dip into his freshmen group for depth and starters. The Fighting Tigers has as many as four freshmen on the floor at one time.

Wilson had 14 points and Bryant 10 points to lead Ironton. Young pulled down nine rebounds.

“When you’re in a position we’re in, a win is a win. I was excited to see our young kids go out there and give us a spark. Somebody has got to step up and do something. It’s better to be on the winning side of learning than on the losing side of learning,” said LaFon.

Damron added 10 points and Darby grabbed nine rebounds.

In league games on Friday, Ironton visits Chesapeake and Rock Hill hosts Coal Grove.

Ironton 2 11 17 17 = 47

Rock Hill 4 8 11 12 = 35

IRONTON (4-5, 1-2): Phil Kratzenberg 2 1 0-1 7, Marques Davis 3 0 0-1 6, Desmond Young 1 0 2-2 4, Ryan Bryant 2 1 3-7 10, Tyler Webb 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Wilson 4 1 3-4 14, Ty Gunther 3 0 0-0 6, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Adkins 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-42 8-15 47. 3-point goals: 3-18. Rebounds: 8-O, 21-D = 29 (Young 9, Gunther 5, Webb 5). Team rebounds: 1. Assists: 6 (Wilson 2). Steals: 7 (Gunther 2, Wilson 2). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

ROCK HILL (0-10, 0-4): Alex Nance 0 0 0-0 0, Nathan Turvey 0 6 0-0 18, Brady Knipp 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Damron 2 2 0-2 10, Mason Darby 1 0 1-2 3, Cameron Barnette 0 0 0-2 0, Logan Reed 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Floyd 0 1 1-2 4, Jaret Bacorn 0 0 0-0 0, Caden France 0 0 0-0 0, Jacob Blagg 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-36 2-8 35. 3-point goals: 9-23. Rebounds: 4-O, 17-D = 21 (Darby 9, Damron 5). Team rebounds: 2. Assists: 5 (Darby 2). Steals: 7 (Barnette 2, Darby 2). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.

 

Ohio Valley Conference

Boys’ Basketball Standings

OVC All

W L W L

Fairland 4 0 6 1

Chesapeake 3 1 7 2

Portsmouth 2 1 4 4

Gallipolis 3 2 3 3

South Point 2 2 3 6

Ironton 1 2 4 5

Coal Grove 1 4 3 6

Rock Hill 0 4 0 10

 

Girls’ Basketball Standings

OVC All

W L W L

Ironton 7 0 11 0

Fairland 5 1 8 1

Chesapeake 4 2 9 2

South Point 3 3 6 5

Rock Hill 3 3 7 4

Gallipolis 1 6 1 8

Coal Grove 1 5 2 8

Portsmouth 1 5 2 9