Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — Lexie Arden didn’t just take charge, she took command.
The Ironton All-Ohio senior hit five 3-pointers and scored 27 points as the Lady Fighting Tigers beat the South Point Lady Pointers 56-33 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.
“We played better. We are improving in several facets of the game,” said Lady Fighting Tigers’ coach Doug Graham.
Arden’s season-high output helped Ironton improve to 14-3 and 9-2 in the OVC. Samantha LaFon added 11 points.
Diamond Crawley scored 9 points while Emilee Whitt, Emilee Carey and Maddy Khounlavong all had 8 points each to pace a balanced scoring attack for South Point (10-6, 7-4).
Arden took charge form the start with a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points while LaFon added 4 points in the first quarter as Ironton took a 15-7 lead.
Khounlavong had 4 points and Crawley hit a 3-pointer to account for South Point’s total.
Arden drained another trifecta and had 5 points and LaFon got 4 more points as the Lady Tigers extended the lead to 28-15 at the break.
Whitt and Khounlavong scored 4 points each for the Lady Pointers.
Kirsten Williams and Arden each hit 3-pointers in the third quarter and it was 40-27.
Carey made two 3-pointers and Crawley had 5 points including a 3-pointer as South Point matched Ironton’s 12-point output in the quarter.
Arden knocked down her fifth 3-pointer and scored 7 points, Riley Schreck was 3-of-4 at the line and LaFon added 3 points as Ironton outscored South Point 16-6 in the fourth quarter.
On Monday, Ironton host first-place Coal Grove and South Point visits Rock Hill.
Ironton 15 13 12 16 = 56
South Point 7 8 12 6 = 33
IRONTON (14-3, 9-2): Riley Schreck 2 0 3-4 7, Samantha LaFon 5 0 1-4 11, Lydia Hannan 1 0 1-2 3, Teegan Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0, Elli Williams 1 0 0-0 2, Kirsten Williams 0 1 0-0 3, Isabel Morgan 0 0 0-0 0, Evan Williams 1 0 1-2 3, Abbie Patterson 0 0 0-0 0, Lexie Arden 4 5 4-4 27. Totals: 14 6 10-16 56. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: El. Williams.
SOUTH POINT (10-6, 7-4): Emilee Whitt 2 0 1-6 8, Sarah Roach 0 0 0-0 0, Maddy Khounlavong 3 0 2-4 8, Sarah Mitchell 0 0 0-2 0, Emilee Carey 1 2 0-0 8, Diamond Crawley 0 2 3-6 9, Kimrie Staley 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 6 4 9-18 33. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: 13.