Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS— In the movie Big Jake, John Wayne’s character turns to his son after he picks off a deer from nearly 500 yards and says, “That’s good shootin’.”
If Jacob McCandles were a real-life figure, he would have said the same thing to the Fairland Dragons on Friday night.
The Dragons were hitting the target from everywhere as they made 25-of-33 field goal attempts for a sizzling 75.7 percent including 3-of-5 from 3-point range and also converted 16-of-21 free throws as they routed the Gallipolis Blue Devils 69-44 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Fairland is now 7-4 and is tied for first place in the OVC with Ironton at 4-1. Gallipolis fell to 6-4 and 3-2.
Clayton Thomas had 19 points including all Fairland’s 3-point attempts. Austin Gartin scored 17 points and had seven rebounds, Ian Chinn added 11 points and seven rebounds and Jacob Polcyn and Aiden Porter scored eight each. Matt Mondlak had five rebounds and five assists.
Polcyn had four assists and four rebounds while Porter had five assists, three steals and two rebounds.
Justin McClelland scored 10 points and Caleb Henry nine to lead the Blue Devils (6-4, 3-2).
Thomas hit a trifecta and scored seven points in the first quarter with Polcyn adding four and the Dragons jumped in front 14-4.
Gartin had eight points in the second quarter as Fairland pulled away to a 28-15 halftime lead. McClelland hit a 3-pointer and scored five points while Cory Call added four points for the Blue Devils.
Porter scored six points and Thomas hit another trey as the Dragons extended their lead to 39-23. McClelland had five points in the quarter.
Fairland blew the game open by outscoring the Blue Devils 30-21 in the fourth quarter.
Gartin scored nine of his points and Thomas knocked down another triple and scored seven points including 4-of-4 at the foul line. The Dragons were 13-of-17 from the line in the fourth quarter.
Henry scored all nine of his points in the quarter including a 3-pointer.
On Tuesday, Fairland goes to Chesapeake and Gallipolis visits Portsmouth.
Fairland 14 14 11 30 = 69
Gallipolis 4 11 8 21 = 44
FAIRLAND (7-4, 4-1): Jacob Polcyn 4-5 0-0 0-0 8, Aiden Porter 3-4 0-0 2-3 8, Gavin Hunt 0-0 0-0 0-2 0, Brice LeMaster 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Mondlak 1-2 0-0 4-4 6, Austin Gartin 7-10 0-0 3-4 17, Ian Chinn 4-4 0-0 3-4 11, Nate Thacker 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, AndyLange 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Devon Bellomy 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Clayton Thomas 3-3 3-5 4-4 19. Totals: 27-33 16-21 69. 3-pt goals: 5-5. Rebounds: 25 (Gartin 7, Chinn 7, Mondlak 5). Assists: 19 (Porter 5, Mondlak 5, Polcyn 4). Steals: 7 (Porter 3). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 14. Fouled put: Polcyn.
GALLIPOLIS (6-4, 3-2): Cole Davis 1-2 0-1 0-0 2, Caleb Henry 2-6 1-1 2-5 9, Justin McClelland 3-5 1-5 1-1 10, Blaine Carter 2-5 1-2 0-2 7, Logan Blouir 2-7 0-0 2-2 6, Brendan Carter 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Cory Call 2-5 0-1 2-2 6, Ben Cox 1-1 0-0 0-0 2, Bailey Walker 0-0 0-0 2-2 2. Totals: 16-43 9-16 44. 3-pt goals: 3-10. Rebounds: 6 (Henry 2). Assists: 4 (Blouir 4). Steals: 3. Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: None.