Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PROCTORVILLE — Size does matter.

Fairland took advantage of its height over the injury-riddle Ironton Fighting Tigers as the Dragons got a 58-44 Ohio Valley Conference win on Monday.

The Dragons’ 6-foot-6 Kollin Van Horn had a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocked shots while 6-2 Isaiah Howell finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds as they controlled the inside.

Luke Thomas scored 21 points including three second half 3-pointers to lead the Dragons (14-3, 10-0) who inched closer to clinch the league title.

Ironton was missing 6-6 Tyler Webb and 6-5 Ryan Bryant with injuries but still managed to get 36 rebounds to Fairland’s 39.

Travis Carey was Ironton’s tallest player at 6-3 but was injured early in the fourth quarter and did not return.

Ironton (8-9, 5-5) had three players in double figures. Marques Davis scored 13 points, Ethan Wilson had 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Carey added 10 points and nine rebounds.

Fairland led 10-3 early but a three-point play by Phil Kratzenberg tied the game with 6:34 to play in the half.

However, Ironton failed to score the rest of the half while Thomas scored six straight points and Howell had six points including a 3-pointer at the buzzer and it was 22-10 at the half.

Wilson scored seven points and Davis drained three trifectas including one at the end of the quarter and Ironton was down 40-34.

Wilson’s short jumper cut the deficit to 40-36 to begin the fourth quarter. Thomas answered with a triple, Howell made two foul shots and Ty Staten had three points as Fairland opened up a 48-36 lead.

“You make a run and cut it to six, but to make it from that deficit makes it difficult. You have to work so hard to get back and if everything doesn’t go perfect, it makes it difficult,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

“But our kids battled. These kids fight as hard as any group we’ve ever had.”

Ironton 7 3 24 10 = 44

Fairland 10 12 18 18 = 58

IRONTON (8-9, 5-5): Phil Kratzenberg 1 0 2-3 4, Ethan Wilson 5 0 2-3 12, Marques Davis 2 3 0-0 13, Travis Carey 3 1 1-1 10, Raphael Glover 1 0 0-0 2, Desmond Young 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Ty Gunther 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Adkins 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 17-56 5-7 44. 3-point goals: 5-18. Rebounds: 12-O, 24-D = 36 (Wilson 10, Carey 9, Glover 6). Team rebounds: 3. Assists: 8 (Wilson 6). Steals: 6 (Young 2, Wilson 2). Blocks: 2. Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Young (4th 1:07).

FAIRLAND (14-3, 10-0): Ty Staten 2 0 1-2 5, Isaiah Howell 4 1 5-5 16, Kollin Van Horn 3 0 4-8 10, Keederick Cunningham 2 0 2-2 6, Luke Thomas 5 3 2-3 21, Hunter Ashton 0 0 0-0 0, Hayden James 0 0 0-0 0, Dairus Stapleton 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-53 14-20 58. 3-point goals: 4-15. Rebounds: 14-O, 25-D = 39 (Howell 13, Van Horn 11). Team rebounds: 4. Assists: 5 (Staten 2). Steals: 8 (Staten 4, Howell 2). Blocks: 10 (Van Horn 10). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.