Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — The Ironton Fighting Tigers listed the keys to the game on the blackboard prior to Friday’s Ohio Valley Conference game.
As it turned out, the Fighting Tigers looked like their key ring was full of pass keys.
Ironton turned in a dominating defense effort in a lopsided 58-17 win over th South Point Pointers.
“ We put the keys on the board and they did them all. The kids did everything we asked them to do right down the line,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon. “Number one: defense wins. We knew that defense could win the game alone.”
South Point was held to 4-for-22 shooting in the first half or 18 percent. Ironton was 15-of-32 for 47 percent.
Ironton (9-3, 4-1) also dominated the glass with 42 rebounds to 24 for the Pointers. Reid Carrico had 10 rebounds and Trent Milleson grabbed seven.
Charlie Large had 12 points, Carrico 10, Ethan Wilson eight and Jordan Grizzle seven as nine different players scored.
Chance Guther — who was averaging 22.5 points a game — was held to seven points.
Grizzle hit a 3-pointer moments into the game to trigger a 7-0 run. Austin Webb made a foul shot for the Pointers and it was 7-1.
It only got worse.
Ironton scored six more points to end the quarter and it was 13-1.
Large knocked down a 3-pointer to start the second quarter and a putback by Carrico pushed the lead to 18-1.
Gunther’s layup gave the Pointers their first field goal of the game at the 5:59 mark, but Milleson answered with a 3-pointer and Wilson was 4-for-4 at the fol line to make it 25-3 with 5:06 left in the half.
Nakyan Turner’s layup made it 25-5 but the Fighting Tigers scored eight unanswered points to make it 32-5.
Grizzle ended the first half the way he started it as he hit a 13-footer and the lead was 41-10.
The scoring slowed down in the second half due mainly to the running clock after a team has a 35-point lead.
Ironton outscored the Pointers 13-5 in the third quarter and it was 54-15.
On Tuesday, Ironton hosts Coal Grove and South Point visits Rock Hill.
Ironton 13 28 13 4 = 58
South Point 1 9 5 2 = 17
IRONTON (9-3, 4-1): Ethan Wilson 2 0 4-4 8, Jordan Grizzle 2 1 0-0 7, Reid Carrico 5 0 0-0 10, Charlie Large 2 2 2-3 12, Ayden Barnes 1 0 0-0 2, Trent Milleson 0 2 0-0 6, Hunter Humphreys 3 0 0-0 6, Collin Freeman 1 1 0-0 5, Erickson Barnes 1 0 0-0 2, Trent Hacker 0 0 0-0 0, Will York 0 0 0-0 0, Richard Thompson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-50 6-7 58. 3-pt goals: 6-16. Rebounds: 16-O, 26-D = 42 (Carrico 10, Milleson 7). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 9 (Wilson 3, Large 3, Carrico 2). Steals: 7 (Carrico 2, Wilson 2, Large 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
SOUTH POINT (4-5, 2-3): Chance Gunther 1 1 2-3 7, Nakyan turner 1 0 0-2 2, Roger Staggs 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Webb 1 0 1-2 3, Marcus Malone 0 0 0-0 0, Darryl Taylor 1 0 1-2 3, Kyle Badgett 0 0 0-0 0, BrodyBlackwell 1 0 0-0 2, Kenyon Carter 0 0 0-0 0, Garrett Carmen 0 0 0-0 0, Kionte Bacon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 6-42 4-8 17. 3-pt goals: 1-16. Rebounds: 12-O, 12-D = 24 (Webb 6). Team/deadball rebounds: 4. Steals: 5. Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: Turner (4th 7:39).