Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

With each game it seems the Ironton injury list is becoming as long as the team roster itself.

With Phil Kratzenberg and Charlie Large already sidelined, center Tyler Webb was out of uniform with an injury on Tuesday.

But led by senior Travis Carey, the Fighting Tigers overlooked the negatives and put on a positive performance by beat the Gallipolis Blue Devils 55-43 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

In only his fourth game this season, Carey had a big all-around effort with a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds to go with three steals, three assists and two blocked shots.

“It felt a lot more comfortable. It just came to me tonight and I just kept shooting. Coach said to really get to the boards so I just took off. I made that a big part of my game tonight,” said Carey.

Ironton coach Mark LaFon said Carey has been trying to shake off the rust of having sat out the first 11 games and looked more like the player he has been in the past.

“Maybe it just took some games. Remember, he hasn’t played a game since last year. We understood that, but at the same time it’s as lot of pressure. He’s pushing himself for us to win a ballgame,” said LaFon.

“I thought he did a good job and he got himself started the right way by going and just attacking the glass.”

Besides Carey, Marques Davis scored 11 points, Ryan Bryant had nine points, five rebounds and two steals, Ethan Wilson eight points, five rebounds and four assists, and Desmond Young had five rebounds.

LaFon said it was a total team effort that helped Ironton win.

“I felt like those kids stepped up and went ahead and played well despite of the fact they could have been down. They could have thought this isn’t going to stop but they didn’t,” said LaFon.”

“We said we needed other guys to step up and rebound and Carey goes and crushes the boards. Ryan broke out of his shell and started scoring. Davis wasn’t hitting his shots and he still continued to play and then he changed and started hitting some baseline shots.”

Gallipolis (4-9, 3-6) was led by Miles Cornwell with 13 points. Wes Jarrell had eight points and seven rebounds.

The Blue Devils led 5-4 after a 3-pointer by Cornwell at the 6:57 mark of the first quarter. Carey then nine straight points to put Ironton up 13-5 with 4:41 on the clock.

A 3-pointer by Russell Mathew just before the buzzer got Gallipolis within 17-15.

A 17-footer by Devin Henry tied the game at 17, but a free throw by Young gave Ironton the lead for good at 18-17 with 7:12 left in the half.

Carey and Davis made layups and Raphael Glover’s putback extended the lead to 26-19. Wilson’s two foul shots put Ironton’s lead at 28-21 at the break.

Ironton (7-8, 4-4) went on a 12-0 run to begin the second half and it was 40-21 with 4:59 on the clock.

But Gallipolis battled back and trailed 42-33 at the end of the quarter.

Two baskets by Glover made it 46-33 to begin the fourth quarter, but Cornwell banked in a 3-pointer and the Blue Devils were down 48-43 with 3:45 left.

A layup by Wilson put Ironton up 50-43 and Gallipolis was forced to foul and the Fighting Tigers were 5-of-8 down the stretch.

“Without beating the point to death, every kid did something to contribute for us. Glover was catching (the ball) aggressively and they had to account for him because he was attacking and going up. All the kids battled. Gunther came off the bench and played for us. Kyle Adkins played some big minutes. You don’t have to do anything exciting, just do your job,” said LaFon.

Ironton hosts Rock Hill on Friday in a league game.

Gallipolis 15 6 12 10 = 43

Ironton 17 11 14 13 = 55

GALLIPOLIS (4-9, 3-6): Miles Cornwell 2 3 0-0 13, Wes Jarrell 2 0 4-5 8, Evan Wiseman 1 1 0-0 5, Kole Carter 2 0 0-0 4, Devin Henry 2 1 0-0 7, Russell Mathew 1 1 0-0 5, Justin McClelland 0 0 0-0 0, Drew VanSickle 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16-49 5-6 43. 3-point goal: 6-19. Rebounds: 8-O, 18-D = 26 (Carter 7, Jarrell 7, Wiseman 5). Teams rebounds: 3. Assists: 8 (Jarrell 4, Carter 2). Steals: 4. Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Jarrell (4th 1:00).

IRONTON (7-8, 4-4): Ethan Wilson 2 0 4-5 8, Marques Davis 5 0 1-2 11, Travis Carey 8 1 1-4 20, Ryan Bryant 2 0 5-7 9, Desmond Young 0 0 1-2 1, Raphael Glover 3 0 0-0 6, Ty Gunther 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Adkins 0 0 0-0 0, Joel Blankenship 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-49 12-20 55. 3-point goals: 1-10. Rebounds: 14-O, 22-D = 36 (Carey 8, Young 7, Bryant 5). Team rebounds: 4. Assists: 9 (Wilson 4, Carey 3). Steals: 6 (Carey 3, Bryant 2). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.