Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

RIO GRANDE — It might not have been a pretty win, but Ironton Fighting Tigers’ coach Mark LaFon wasn’t about to apologize for winning.

The youthful Ironton Fighting Tigers turned in a blue-collar effort as they beat the Meigs Marauders 40-31 on Saturday in the Newt Oliver Classic at the University of Rio Grande.

“It wasn’t pretty but I don’t know of any pretty losses I’ve had,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

“This group plays hard. They get after it. If they’re not playing hard it’s because they’re thinking. They need experience so they’ll just react in those situations. I don’t know when we’re going to get there but I’m confident we’re going to get there. They’re going to be fun to watch.”

Ethan Wilson scored 18 points including four 3-pointers for Ironton (0-1). Kyle Adkins added eight points with a pair of 3-pointers and two foul shots.

Reid Carrico had eight rebounds while Hunter Humphreys and Trent Milleson grabbed five each.

“Kyle got hurt early and it made it took a while for him to get going. Wilson’s back was locked up and it bothered him the whole game. But he’s a warrior,” said LaFon.

“Hunter was active on the boards. He’s the reason we were in the game early. All these kids play hard and have a great attitude.”

Meigs (0-4) was led by Cooper Darst with 15 points. Bobby Musser had seven rebounds.

Ironton got a 3-pointer by Joel Blankenship and a foul shot by Ayden Barnes to lead 4-0 but Meigs scored eight straight and led 8-5 at the end of the quarter.

Wilson drained three trifectas in the second quarter as Ironton took a 14-8 lead at the 2:48 mark.

Darst made two foul shots as Meigs finally scored with 2:27 left in the half.

Reid Carrico scored for the Fighting Tigers and Darst converted a three-point play and it was 16-13 at the break.

The Marauders got within 18-17 on a putback by Zach Bartrum with 5:49 left in the third quarter. But Adkins and Wilson hit back-to-back triples and a three-point by Trent Milleson made it 27-19.

Darst had two straight baskets to end the quarter and Meigs trailed 27-23.

A 3-pointer goal by Jake Roush cut the Ironton lead to 30-28 but Carrico had a putback and Wilson made both ends of a one-and-one.

Bartrum converted a three-point play and it was 34-31 only to have Ironton score six unanswered points and it was 40-31 with 38 seconds left.

Ironton hosts Fairland on Tuesday. The girls’ jayvee will play at 4:45 followed by the boys’ reserve game and then the varsity.

Meigs              8          5          10        8          =          31

Ironton            5          11        11        13        =          40

MEIGS (0-5): Nick Lilly 0 0 0-0 0, Jake Roush 2 1 0-0 7, Zach Bartrum 2 0 1-1 5, Bobby Musser 1 0 2-2 4, Cooper Darst 6 0 3-3 15, Austin Mahr 0 0 0-0 0, Wesley Smith 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-38 6-6 31. 3-pt goals: 1-13. Rebounds: 10-O, 16-D = 26 (Musser 9, Darst 4, Roush 4). Team rebounds: 7. Assists: 4. Steals: 4. Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Roush (4th 0:38).

IRONTON (1-1): Ethan Wilson 1 4 4-4 18, Joel Blankenship 0 1 0-0 3, Kyle Adkins 0 2 2-2 8, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 0-0 0, Reid Carrico 2 0 1-2 5, Ryan Payne 0 0 0-0 0, Trent Milleson 2 0 1-1 5, Collin Freeman 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-42 9-11 40. 3-pt. goals: 7-18. Rebounds: 15-O, 17-D = 32 (Carrico 9, Milleson 5, Humphreys 5). Team rebounds: 3. Assists: 2. Steals: 6 (Wilson 3, Carrico 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.