Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The Ironton Fighting Tigers were doing just what the Rock Hill Redmen wanted until they finally started doing what they wanted.
Rock Hill packed in their zone giving Ironton outside shots and trying to take away Reid Carrico in the post. The strategy left Ironton with just a 7-point halftime lead.
But that changed in the second half as Ironton did what it wanted and came away with a 64-39 Ohio Valley Conference win on Tuesday.
Ironton was 10-of-23 from the field in the first half but just 2-of-11 from behind the 3-point line.
“We were playing into their hands. We looked at the shot chart at the end of the first half and we’d shot 12 2’s and 11 3’s. We don’t want that,” said Ironton coach P.J. Fitch.
“I’m fine with the 3’s as long as we are cashing in. We were a little out of balance. Teams know that we struggle sometimes from the perimeter. As a result, they were playing off and baiting us into those 3’s. We talked about it at halftime that regardless if they give it to us, we need to swing the ball and get some paint touches and shoot the right kind of 3’s.”
Jordan Grizzle had a season-high 19 points to lead three players in double figures for Ironton (7-5, 6-3). Carrico had 17 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists while Gage Salyers scored 12 points.
Trent Milleson had 4 rebounds and Collin Freeman handed out 4 assists and Trent Hacker had 2 steals.
“Jordan’s just a tough kid. We had six total turnovers which shows he’s doing a better job at the (point guard). He’s starting to hit his outside shots. He’s real shifty about getting into the lane and setting other people up and finishing if no one cuts him off,” said Fitch.
A big key for Ironton was the season-low six turnovers.
“I was glad to see guys flash middle without me yelling at them. We ran our press zone to a T and definitely ran our execution down the stretch,” said Fitch.
Braden Stamper scored 15 points and Logan Hankins had 13 to lead Rock Hill (3-12, 0-9).
Ironton opened up a 13-5 lead in the first quarter after a layup by Hacker, two foul shots by Carrico and a layup by Freeman off a pass from Carrico.
Hankins and Owen Hankins hit back-to-back 3-pointers to get Rock Hill within 13-11 before Grizzle drove for a layup with three seconds on the clock and Ironton led 15-11.
A steal and two foul shots by Brayden Easterling and a 15-footer by Salyers had Ironton ahead 17-13. But Stamper made a layup and converted a 3-point play to close the gap to just 19-18 with 5:26 left in the half.
Carrico then made two foul shots and a layup and Hacker came up with a steal and a layup to make it 25-18.
Stamper hit a 3-pointer for Rock Hill but Grizzle buried a trifecta with five seconds left in the half and it was 28-21.
Ironton adjusted and was able to get the ball to Carrico in the third quarter as he scored two baskets to start the half. Milleson had a putback and it was 34-21.
A 3-point play by Carrico gave Ironton a 40-23 lead with 3:30 on the clock.
Rock Hill got within 40-29 on a layup by Stamper and a free throw by Logan Hankins, but Grizzle had a pair of 3-point plays that helped stretch the lead to 48-31 at the end of the quarter.
Salyers drained a 15-footer and made a layup as Ironton went up 52-33 to start the fourth quarter.
Hankins answered with a 3-pointer — he had four in the game and two in the fourth quarter — only to have Salyers hit a short jumper and Carrico a layup off a pass from Salyers and it was 56-36.
On Friday, Rock Hill visits Coal Grove and Ironton goes to Chesapeake.
Rock Hill 11 10 10 8 = 39
Ironton 15 13 20 16 = 64
ROCK HILL (3-12, 0-9): Logan Hankins 0 4 1-2 13, Garrett Miller 1 0 0-0 2, Braden Stamper 4 2 1-1 15, Owen Hankins 1 1 0-0 5, Brayden Malone 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Blankenship 2 0 0-0 4, Noah Doddridge 0 0 0-0 0, Lane Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Jacob Schwab 0 0 0-0 0, Brayden Adams 0 0 0-0 0, Devan Long 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Blagg 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-36 2-3 39. 3-pt goals: 7-19. Rebounds: 8-O, 13-D = 21 (Stamper 5, L. Hankins 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 5. Assists: 3. Steals: 2 (Stamper 2). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
IRONTON (7-5, 6-3): Trent Hacker 3 0 0-0 6, Jordan Grizzle 4 3 2-2 19, Reid Carrico 5 0 7-7 17, Collin Freeman 1 0 0-0 2, Trent Milleson 1 0 0-0 2, Gage Salyers 5 0 2-2 12, Brayden Easterling 0 0 2-2 2, Caleb Hopper 0 0 0-0 0, Tayden Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0, Cameron Deere 0 0 0-0 0, Will York 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Howell 0 0 0-0 0, Christian Wright 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 24-49 13-13 64. 3-pt goals: 3-15. Rebounds: 11-O, 13-D = 24 (Carrico 4, Milleson 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 7. Assists: 11 (Freeman 4, Carrico 2). Steals: 7 (Hacker 3). Turnovers: 6. Fouls: 5. Fouled out: None.