Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

SOUTH POINT — In the movie “Angels In The Outfield,” obnoxious announcer Ranch Wilder tells his partner “Easy Wally, less is more.”

The Ironton Fighting Tigers only managed 24 field goal attempts against the South Point defense on Tuesday, but they made 17 of those shots for 71 percent as they held on toe beat the Pointers 43-40 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

It was a good thing Ironton shot so well. The Fighting Tigers were guilty of 18 turnovers and allowed South Point 11 offensive rebounds.

“When you’re turning the ball over you’re not going to get shots, so it was big that we made the ones we took,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

“We just did not rebound that well. They were killing us on the boards. We always find that one thing we do to hurt us and tonight it was rebounding.”

The game was tie at 37 with 57 seconds left when the Pointers’ Tanner Hall made two foul shots.

Ironton’s Ethan Wilson was fouled with 29 seconds to go and hit both ends of the one-and-one for a 39-37 lead.

The Pointers the missed a shot, Hunter Klaiber got the rebound for Ironton and threw to Marques Davis for a layup and a 41-37 lead.

Elijah Adams answered quickly with a 3-pointer with four seconds left and the Pointers were down 41-40.

South Point then fouled Wilson on the inbounds play and he made both free throws with three seconds to go. A final shot by the Pointers was well off the mark.

“It’s huge for anybody to make those free throws, but it’s even bigger for a freshman. He did a great job for us,” LaFon said about Wilson’s free throws.

The game was tied four times in the first half with the Pointers taking an 18-16 lead.

Davis drained a 3-pointer and Ryan Bryant made a foul shot to begin the second half and Ironton led 20-18. Adams hit a triple to put the Pointers back on top, but Davis came back with another trey of his own and it was 23-21.

The game was then tied four times the rest of the quarter including 31 all heading into the fourth quarter.

“Those were big shots by Davis. He’s been doing that pretty much all season,” said LaFon.

“Hats off to South Point. They were making shots and finishing. It was a tough game. Both teams played hard.”

Phil Kratzenberg made a foul shot to put Ironton up to start the fourth quarter. Chris Woodard hit a 12-footer for the Pointers as the teams began to trade baskets.

Kratzenberg’s 13-footer made it 37-35 and set up the final exciting minute of play.

Wilson finished with 12 points while Travis Carey had 10 points and five rebounds for Ironton (10-10, 7-6). Davis and Kratzenberg scored nine each.

Fox led the Pointers (7-13, 5-7) with 10 points and Adams added eight. Logan Wade had five rebounds.

On Friday, Ironton hosts Coal Grove on senior night while South Point visits Rock Hill.

Ironton 8 8 15 12 = 43

South Point 6 12 13 9 = 40

IRONTON (10-10, 7-6): Phil Krazenberg 4 0 1-3 9, Travis Carey 5 0 0-0 10, Ethan Wilson 4 0 4-5 12, Marques Davis 1 2 1-2 9, Desmond Young 1 0 0-0 2, Ryan Bryant 0 0 1-2 1, Raphael Glover 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Ty Gunther 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-24 7-12 43. 3-point goals: 2-4. Rebounds: 5-O, 14-D = 19 (Carey 5, Kratzenberg 3). Team rebounds: 2. Assists: 6 (Wilson 2, Kratzenberg 2). Steals: 6 (Young 3, Carey 2). Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Carey (4th 0:57), Bryant (4th 0:30).

SOUTH POINT (7-13, 5-7): Jared Whitt 0 0 0-1 0, Tayshaun Fox 2 1 3-4 10, Elijah Adams 0 2 2-2 8, Chris Woodard 2 0 2-3 6, Logan Wade 3 0 0-2 6, Cody Runyon 1 0 0-1 2, Caleb Pennington 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Eplion 1 0 0-2 2, Tanner Hall 2 0 2-3 6. Totals: 14-32 9-18 40. 3-point goals: 3-8. Rebounds: 11-O, 8-D = 19 (Wade 5, Hall 4, Woodard 4). Team rebounds: 2. Assists: 6 (Fox 2, Woodard 2). Steals: 5 (Fox 2). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.