Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — Win No. 7 was big for the Fairland Lady Dragons. It was a milestone for head coach Jon Buchanan.
The Lady Dragons win over the Rock Hill Redwomen in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday not only snapped a three-game losing streak, but gave the Lady Dragons a 5-1 record in the league heading into Monday’s game at Ironton.
“I never really thought about it. It was nice to have a lot of my former players at the game,” said Buchanan. “You win a lot of games because you have a lot of good players who embrace what we do. They work hard and buy into what we do.”
Buchanan is in his 11th season as the Lady Dragons’ head coach. He had a string of seven straight 20-win seasons snapped last year when they won 19 games. He has guided the team to two Final Four appearances.
The game was tied 13-all after the first quarter as Aleigha Matney scored 6 points and Lucy Simpson 4 for the Redwomen while Jenna Stone hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points.
Simpson scored 6 points and Mackenzie Hanshaw had 4 points as Rock Hill took a surprising 30-26 halftime lead. Stone had another big quarter with a 3-pointer and she was 4-of-4 at the foul line.
The game turned and in a big way in the third quarter as Harlie Lyons took charge.
Lyons — who had missed most of the season with an injury — buried four 3-pointers and scored 16 points in the quarter as Fairland outscored Rock Hill 30-4 and it was 56-34.
Stone had s 3-pointer and scored 5 points while Emma Marshall also made a 3-pointer.
“We just played better,” said Buchanan. “We were 8-of-32 from the field in the first half and 12-of-19 in the third quarter and no turnovers.”
Lyons and Stone had 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to offset a trey by Tru Pancake and 3 points by Simpson for Rock Hill.
For the game, Fairland had 11 2-point field goals and 12 3-point goals. Lyons had seven 3-pointers as she scored 25 points.
Stone hit four triples and scored 20 points.
Simpson scored 15 points to lead Rock Hill (2-9, 0-6).
On Monday, Fairland plays at Ironton and Rock Hill host Gallipolis.
Rock Hill 13 17 4 11 = 45
Fairland 13 13 30 13 = 69
ROCK HILL (2-9, 0-6): Savannah McGraw 2 0 0-0 4, MaKayla Scott 1 0 0-2 3, Lucy Simpson 7 0 1-2 15, Tru Pancake 0 1 0-0 3, Rileigh Morris 1 0 1-2 3, Mackenzie Hanshaw 1 0 2-4 4, Cigi Pancake 0 1 0-0 3, Savannah Cade 2 0 0-4, Aleigha Matney 3 0 1-2 7. Totals: 17 2 5-12 45. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Matney.
FAIRLAND (6-6, 5-1): Emma Marshall 1 1 3-3 6, Harlie Lyons 2 7 0-0 25, Bailey Roland 1 0 0-0 2, Katie Brumfield 0 0 0-0 0, Brooklyn McClain 0 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Burcham 0 0 0-1 0, Jessica King 1 0 0-0 2, Tomi Hinkle 2 0 3-6 7, Jenna Stone 2 4 4-4 20, Libby Judge 0 0 0-0 0, Miaa Howard 1 1 1-2 5, Kirsten Orsbon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11 12 11-16 69. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.