Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Forget where’s Waldo. Doug Graham found his team.
After an uncharacteristic performance on Saturday, the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers returned to form on Monday as they beat the South Point Lady Pointers 49-34 to remained tied for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference.
“That was the team I recognized that I’ve coach all year, Said Graham. “We moved the ball and got good looks and took good shots. I was proud of their effort.
“We didn’t do anything practice-wise. We put in a couple of tweaks, but we just executed our offense. We got things moving and we were a little better.”
After shooting 30 percent in the loss to Circleville, Ironton was 18-of-39 for 46 percent. The defense remained strong by holding South Point to 24 percent shooting (13-of-54).
The Lady Tigers’ defense came into the game giving up an average of under 38 points a game.
“Riley Schreck did a better job shooting the gaps. She wasn’t doing that 10 games ago. Taiya Hamlet gives 100 percent all the time. Lexie Arden probably blocked 10 shots and altered another 10. They do things that people don’t see or write about,” said Graham.
“Lexi Wise took care of the ball and took it to the glass. Alyssa Lewis played well on defense and took the ball to the basket. Sydney Webb does a great job defensively and she hit some big shots.”
Ironton (16-5, 12-1) was led by Wise with 14 points and six rebounds. Lewis had 13 points, Webb got eight points, five rebounds, two steals and three assists. Arden had eight rebounds to go with 10 blocks, Hamlet seven rebounds and Schreck had three steals.
South Point (11-8, 7-5) was led by its lone senior Brooklyn Badgett with 12 points. Emily Whitt had seven points while Kate Mundy and Ashley Perkey got six rebounds each.
Ironton went on a 6-0 run to start the game with Lewis getting two layups off passes from Webb.
A 3-pointer by Abbey Hannah got the Lady Pointers within 6-4 but Ironton scored eight straight points to lead 14-4.
South Point closed the quarter with 3-pointers by Maddy Khounlavong and Badgett — her shot came at the buzzer — and it was 14-10.
The Lady Pointers cut the deficit to 16-14 on a 10-footer by Badgett but Webb hit a trifecta and Wise two foul shots and it was 21-14.
Badgett hit a baseline shot but Arden’s put-back with four seconds to go in the half gave Ironton a 23-16 lead at the break.
Graham praised his two seniors — Webb and Lewis — but he said his team still has a lot of work to do.
“We have a chance to play for a championship on Thursday but we know Coal Grove will be ready for us,” said Graham.
Ironton visits Coal Grove on Thursday. South Point is at Gallipolis on Wednesday, hosts Rock Hill on Thursday and goes to Tolsia, W.Va., on Saturday.
South Point    10    6    12    6    =    34
Ironton       14    9    13    13    =    49
SOUTH POINT (11-8, 7-5): Emilee Whitt 0 2 1-2 7, Kate Mundy 2 0 1-2 5, Brooklyn Badgett 4 1 1-2 12, Leah Lawson 0 0 0-0 0, Ashley Perkey 0 0 0-0 0, Emilee Carey 0 0 0-0 0, Madison Kearns 2 0 0-2 4, Maddy Khounlavong 0 1 0-0 3, Abbey Hannah 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 13-54 3-8 34. 3-point goals: 5-16. Rebounds: 14-O, 19-D = 33 (Mundy 6, Perkey 6). Team/deadball rebounds: 8. Assists: 4. Steals: 7 (Whitt 2, Badgett 2). Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.
IRONTON (16-5, 12-1): Sydney Webb 1 2 0-0 8, Lexi Wise 4 0 6-9 14, Alyssa Lewis 5 0 3-4 14, Riley Schreck 2 0 0-0 4,  Lexie Arden 2 0 2-2 6, Taiya Hamlet 2 0 0-0 4, Haylee Stevens 0 0 0-0 0, Elli Williams 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-39 11-15 49. 3-point goals: 2-8. Rebounds: 5-O, 29-D – 34 (Arden 8, Hamlet 7, Wise 6, Webb 5). Assists: 6 (Webb 3, Arden 2). Steals: 9 (Schreck 3, Webb 2, Wise 2). Turnovers: 21. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.