Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — Shucks, we can do better than that.
The Ironton Fighting Tigers shot 52 percent from the field on Tuesday, but the Fairland Dragon shot 55 percent plus 11-of-12 at the foul line as they posted a 58-51 Ohio Valley Conference win on Tuesday.
“We were really patient and took good shots,” said Fairland coach Nathan Speed.
“Our seniors Matt Mondlak and Austin Gartin were great leaders. When Ironton made a run, they kept our heads in the game and helped us stay with the game plan.”
The Dragons continued their patient offense and working for close-range shots for the fourth straight game as they went 22-of-40 from the field to go along with excellent foul shooting.
Ironton (1-1, 0-1) was an impressive 22-of-42 from the floor but converted just one-of-7 free throw attempts.
Matt Mondlak scored 17 points and had six rebounds to lead the Dragons. Ian Chinn had 14 points including 8-of-8 at the line while Austin Gartin added 11 points.
Ethan Wilson had a game-high 22 points for Ironton along with four rebounds, three assists and four steals. Reid Carrico had 13 points and six rebounds.
A trifecta by Charlie Large and a layup by Carrico put Ironton up 5-2 early.
Fairland then ran off eight straight points to go up 10-5. Mondlak knocked down a trey for a 13-7 lead and Aiden Porter’s layup had Fairland up 15-9.
Wilson drained a triple before the end of the quarter and Mondlak’s layup made it 17-12 to end the first quarter.
Ironton cut the deficit to 21-20 on a layup by Carrico and trailed 23-22 after a left-handed layup by Wilson.
But Gartin hit a 3-pointer and then converted a three-point play as Fairland opened up a 29-22 halftime lead.
A layup by Ian Chinn to start the second half gave the Dragons a 31-22 lead.
But Wilson rallied Ironton with two steals he turned into layups and Ironton was down 33-30 with four minutes left in the quarter.
Large buried a 3-pointer but Gartin converted a three-point play and it was 38-33. Carrico made a putback and it was 38-35 to end the quarter.
Ironton tied the game at 38 on a 3-pointer by Jordan Grizzle to start the fourth quarter only to have Fairland answer with a 10-1 run to lead 48-39.
A steal and layup by Wilson stopped the bleeding for a moment only to have Jacob Polcyn convert both ends of a one-and-one with a little more than a minute to play.
The Dragons sealed the game at the foul line by connecting on 8-of-9 down the stretch.
On Friday, Ironton hosts Gallipolis in a big OVC showdown while Fairland entertains Coal Grove.
Ironton 12 10 13 16 = 51
Fairland 17 12 9 20 = 58
IRONTON (1-1, 0-1): Ethan Wilson 8-13 2-3 0-3 22, Jordan Grizzle 0 1-2 0-0 3, Reid Carrico 6-11 0-0 1-4 13, Charlie Large 1-6 2-3 0-0 8, Trent Milleson 1-3 0-0 0-0 2, Ayden Barnes 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Hunter Humphreys 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Erickson Barnes 0-0 1-1 0-0 3, Trent Hacker 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Will York 0-0 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-42 1-7 51. 3-pt goals: 6-9. Rebounds: 17 (Carrico 6, Large 4, Wilson 4). Assists: 7 (Wilson 3). Steals: 7 (Wilson 4). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.
FAIRLAND (3-1, 1-0): Jacob Polcyn 2-3 0-0 2-3 6, Aiden Porter 4-7 0-0 0-0 8, Matt Mondlak 7-8 1-2 0-0 17, Ian Chinn 3-5 0-0 8-8 14, Clayton Thomas 1-2 0-4 0-0 2, Austin Gartin 3-5 1-4 2-2 11, Andy Lange 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-40 12-13 58. 3-pt goals: 2-10. Rebounds: 17 (Mondlak 6, Chinn 6). Assists: 12 (Thomas 6, Porter 4). Steals: 5 (Porter 3). Turnovers: 8. Fouls: 10. Fouled out None.