Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — When you’re hot, you’re hot. When you’re the Fairland Dragons, you’re on fire.
The Dragons had a hot-shooting night that matched the flames from their nicknames throat as they beat the Coal Grove Hornets 78-43 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.
The unbeaten Dragons (8-0, 3-0) were 30-of-53 from the field for 52 percent and 10-of-16 from behind the 3-point line for a sizzling 62.5 percent.
“We shot the ball well but the thing I was most impressed with was how we shared the ball. We would pass up a good shot for an even better one,” said Dragons’ coach Nathan Speed.
Luke Thomas and Gunner Short scored 17 points each for Fairland. Thomas was 5-of-7 from behind the arc and Short was 3-of-4.
Keedrick Cunningham added 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals for the Dragons while Kollin Van Horn added 11 points, 10 rebound and 7 blocked shots.
Evan Gannon scored 11 points for Coal Grove (5-3, 1-2).
Short scored 6 points as Fairland jumped in front 20-6 in the first quarter.
Thomas and Short scored 6 points each in the second quarter and the Dragons extended the lead to 38-14 at the half.
Thomas hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points in the third quarter as Fairland opened up a 61-28 cushion.
On Friday, Fairland visits South Point and Coal Grove hosts Gallipolis.
Coal Grove    6    8    14    15    =    43
Fairland    20    18    23    17    =    78
COAL GROVE (5-3, 1-2): Aaron Music 0 0 0-0 0, Cory Borders 0 1 0-0 3, Jordan Case 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Sites 0 0 0-0 0, Daniel Rutherford 2 1 1-1 8, Nate McKenzie 0 0 0-0 0, Jeb Jones 4 0 0-1 8, Evan Gannon 0 3 2-2 11, Mark Sites 1 1 3-4 8, Alijah Roman 1 1 0-0 5. Totals: 15-52 6-8 43. 3-point goals: 7-24. Rebounds: 15 (Music 5, Rutherford 3). Assists: 5 (Rutherford 2). Steals: 2. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
FAIRLAND (8-0, 3-0): Ty Staten 1 0 2-2 4, Luke Thomas 1 5 0-0 17, Isaiah Howell 2 1 0-0 7, Kollin Van Horn 5 0 1-3 11, Gunner Short 2 3 4-5 17, Joel Lambiotte 1 0 1-2 3, Matt Mondlak 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Gartin 1 0 0-0 2, Keedrick Cunningham 7 0 0-0 14, Dairus Stapleton 0 1 0-0 3, Riley Sowards 0 0 0-0 0, Ian Chinn 0 0 0-0 0, Andy Lange 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Fisher 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 30-53 8-12 78. 3-point goals: 10-16. Rebounds: 42 (Van Horn 10, Short 5, Howell 5, Staten 5, Cunningham 5). Assists: 23 (Staten 5, Thomas 5, Cunningham 4, Short 4). Steals: 8 (Cunningham 3, Staten 2). Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.