Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

As the late great Jerry Reed sang, “When you’re hot you’re hot, when you’re not, you’re.”
The South Point Pointers shot well as they beat the cold-shooting Ironton Fighting Tigers 62-45 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Wednesday.
South Point hit 20-of-48 shots for 42 percent from the field while Ironton (3-11, 1-6) was a mere 14-of-50 for 28 percent.
Ironton coach Mark LaFon didn’t use the poor shooting as an excuse.
“The shots aren’t falling, but those are six-footers. We keep blowing layups. That’s a lack of concentration and a lack of confidence,” said LaFon.
“(South Point) played a great game. They executed well and passed the ball around. Fox controlled the court. We weren’t blocking out and they were attacking us on the glass.”
Tayshaun Fox led the Pointers’ offense with a game-high 29 points including 11-of-14 at the foul line as he was able to beat the Ironton defense to the basket. Austin Webb had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Ironton got a season-high 22 points from Ethan Wilson who also had 12 rebounds and three  assists. Kyle Adkins added nine points and seven rebounds, Charlie Large with points and Reid Carrico had seven rebounds.
South Point (6-6, 3-4) went on a 12-0 run to begin the game as that started with a Jared Whitt 15-footer and ended with a putback by Whitt.
Fox hit a short jumper and a 3-pointer and Douglas Shaffer a 3-pointer between those baskets.
Large made a foul shot at the 4:43 mark as Ironton finally scored. Wilson then hit a 13-footer and Large a trifecta and the lead was cut in half at 12-6 with 3:15 on the clock.
A layup by Webb and a foul shot by Fox made it 15-6 at the end of the quarter.
A layup by Adkins started the second quarter and then Wilson blocked a shot, got the rebound and went the length of the floor for a layup and Ironton trailed just 15-10.
But the Pointers scored eight straight to lead 23-10. Hunter Humphreys and Trent Milleson each made a foul shot for Ironton but Webb’s putback gave the Pointers a 27-14 lead at the break.
The Pointers came out hot again to start the second half as Fox and Shaffer hit 3-pointers.
Carrico and Large each hit baskets and Wilson scored Ironton’s next seven points but the Pointers closed the quarter with a 7-2 run to lead 47-27.
South Point took a 53-31 lead on a 3-pointer by Fox early in the fourth quarter.
However, Ironton mounted a mild comeback and got 57-43 after two foul shots each by Adkins and Wilson. But Ironton could get no closer.
On Friday, Ironton hosts Gallipolis and South Point visits Portsmouth.
South Point    15    12    20    15    =    62
Ironton       6    8    13    18    =    45
SOUTH POINT (6-6, 3-4): Douglas Shaffer 0 2 0-0 6, Tayshaun Fox 3 4 11-14 29, Dustin McCarty 2 0 1-2 5, Jared Whitt 2 0 0-0 4, Austin Webb 5 0 3-8 13, Chance Gunther 1 0 0-0 2, Roger Staggs 1 0 1-1 3, Derek McCarty 0 0 0-0 0, Nakyan Turner 0 0 0-0 0, Brody Blackwell 0 0 0-0 0, Marcus Malone 0 0 0-0 0, Larry Fox 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-48 16-25 62. 3-pt goals: 6-16. Rebounds: 11-O, 24-D = 35 (Webb 11, Du. McCarty 6, Fox 6). Team rebounds: 6. Assists: 6 (Du. McCarty 3, Fox 3). Steals: 9 (Fox 5). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Staggs (4th 2:12).
IRONTON (3-11, 1-6): Ethan Wilson 7 0 8-9 22, Joel Blankenship 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Adkins 2 1 2-2 9, Charlie Large 1 1 0 3-4 8, Reid Carrico 2 0 0-1 4, Ayden Barnes 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 1-2 1, Trent Milleson 0 0 1-2 1, Ryan Payne 0 0 0-0 0, Collin Freeman 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-50 15-20 45. 3-pt goals: 6-16. Rebounds: 14-O, 22-D = 36 (Wilson 12, Carrico 7, Adkins 7). Team rebounds: 2. Assists: 4 (Wilson 3). Steals: 3. Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.