Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Coach Nathan Speed wanted to be on the attack with his Dragons. He didn’t realize he was creating attack dogs.
The Fairland Dragons offense went of the attack Friday as they outscored Huntington Prep Blue 89-75 on Friday in The Western & Southern Life Insurance Ironton Classic.
The Dragons stayed unbeaten through five games behind 26 points each from Isaiah Howell and Gunner Short.
“We talked about not turning the ball over and attack the basket and finish. We wanted to keep attack and not be timid. We did a good job when we didn’t finish we had guys there to clean it up,” said Speed.
Howell got 21 of his points in the first half and Short took over and scored 19 of his points in the second half. Short hit five 3-pointers and Howell made four.
Kollin Van Horn added 14 points and 6 rebounds, Luke Thomas had 9 points, Ty Staten got 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and Keedrick Cunningham came off the bench to get 8 points and 8 rebounds.
“That’s the thing we’ve done. As long as we try to keep everyone involved it carries over defensively, too, and gives us more energy and gets the guys going, gets them into the team effort,” said Speed.
Huntington Prep Blue was paced by Shemar Rathan-Meyers with a game-high 30 points. Christian Alley had 18 points and 6 rebounds while Gilles Dekoninck added 15 points and 7 rebounds.
The lead changed hand three times in the first quarter and Fairland trailed 20-18 after Thomas hit a 3-pointer just before the buzzer.
Two foul shots by Van Horn and a baseline jumper by Short gave Fairland the lead for good with 6:48 left in the half.
A put-back by Thomas gave the Dragons a 37-27 lead and it was 42-32 at the half following two fouls shots by Thomas.
Short knocked down four 3-pointers and scored 18 points in the third quarter as Fairland opened up a 67-48 cushion.
Keedrick Cunningham and Van Horn combined for 11 points in the fourth quarter and the Dragons led by as much as 19 points.
Fairland plays in the Tuscarawas County Tournament on Thursday and Friday.
Huntington    20    12    16    27    =    75
Fairland    18    24    25    22    =    89
HUNTINGTON PREP BLUE: Shemar Rathan-Meyers 4 5 7-8 30, Christian Alley 5 1 5-6 18, Nigel Warden 0 0 1-2 1, Gilles Dekoninck 1 4 1-2 15, Devin Heeter 0 2 0-06, Kota Akama 0 0 0-0 0, Elijah Ewing 0 0 0-0 0, Toby Aniger 0 0 0-0 0, Rintaro Kaida 1 0 3-5 5. Totals: 23-50 17-23 75. 3-point goals: 12-23. Rebounds: 4-O, 21-D = 25 (Dekoninck 7, Alley 6). Team/deadball rebounds: 2. Assists: 6 (Rathan-Meyers 2). Steals: 9 (Alley 3, Rathan-Meyers 3). Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Dekoninck (4th 4:31).
FAIRLAND (5-0): Ty Staten 2 0 0-0 4, Luke Thomas 3 1 0-0 9, Isaiah Howell 6 4 2-3 26, Kollin Van Horn 6 0 2-2 14, Gunner Short 3 5 5-8 26, Keedrick Cunningham 3 0 2-4 8, Dairus Stapleton 0 0 0-0 0, Matt Mondlak 1 0 0-0 2, Joel Lambiotte 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Fisher 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 34-74 11-17 89. 3-point goals: 10-21. Rebounds: 22-O, 24-D = 46 (Staten 11, Howell 8, Cunningham 7). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 13 (Staten 5). Steals: 8 (Staten 4, Cunningham 3). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.one.