Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — South Point was missing leading scorer Austin Webb with an injury for the second straight game.
Chance Gunther must have told Terry Wise, “Don’t worry, coach. I’ve got it.”
Gunther scored 27 points including five 3-pointers and the Pointers held off a furious fourth quarter comeback to edge the Ironton Fighting Tigers 46-43 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.
Ironton opened the game with a 9-0 run before the Pointers got two foul shots from Nakyan Turner at the 3:11 mark.
Kyle Badgett hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to get the Pointers within 10-7.
A layup by Jordan Grizzle and free throw by Reid Carrico put Ironton up 13-9.
But a couple of 3-pointers by Gunther sandwiched around two foul shots by Grizzle tied the game with 4:24 left in the half.
Gunther had a steal and layup and then knocked down a trey at the buzzer to give the Pointers a 20-15 lead at the break.
Turner sank two free throws and Gunther buried a 3-pointer from the corner and the lead was 25-15 one minute into the second half.
Gunther had back-to-back layups and the lead was 29-17. A free throw by Jake Adams had South Point up 35-23 at the end of the third quarter.
Gage Salyes made a layup, Carrico a free throw and Salyers a 3-pointer play to begin the fourth quarter and suddenly Ironton was down 35-29.
Turner went 3-for-4 at the foul line and it was 38-29 but Carrico made a layup, Salyers a free throw, and then Carrico and Salyers each turned steals into layups and Ironton trailed just 38-36 with 4:16 to play.
A layup by Ironton’s Collin Freeman off an inbounds play tied the game at 39. Darryl Taylor then made a layup and Brody Blackwell hit two foul shots as the Pointers took a 43-39 lead with 39 seconds to play.
Turner made a foul shots and Gunther two more with 13 seconds on the clock for a 46-40 lead.
Grizzle drained a trifecta with nine seconds left and it was 46-43.
The Fighting Tigers then got a turnover on the inbounds play but a 3-point shot just before the buzzer failed to hit its mark.
Turner finished with 11 points as he went 11-of-14 from the foul line.
Free throw shooting was crucial as the Pointers converted 16-of-22 and Ironton could only connect on 13-of-24 attempts.
South Point (10-7, 7-4) also hit 6-of-14 from the 3-point line and Ironton was just 2-for-12.
Ironton (7-7, 6-5) struggled from the field as the Pointers’ defense double teamed Carrico in the post all night. The Fighting Tigers were 14-of-37 from the field.
Grizzle had 13 points, Salyers 12 and Carrico 11 to pace Ironton.
On Friday, Ironton entertains Coal Grove and South Point host Rock Hill.
Ironton 10 5 8 20 = 43
South Point 7 13 15 11 = 46
IRONTON (7-7, 6-5): Gage Salyers 4 0 4-7 12, Trent Hacker 2 0 1-3 5, Jordan Grizzle 2 2 3-4 13, Reid Carrico 3 0 5-10 11, Collin Freeman 1 0 0-0 2, Trent Milleson 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Hopper 0 0 0-0 0, Brayden Easterling 0 0 0-0 0, Landen Wilson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-37 13-24 43. 3-pt goals: 2-12. Rebounds: 7-O, 18-D = 25 (Carrico 6, Hacker 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 5. Assists: 2. Steals: 8 (Hacker 3, Salyers 2). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.
SOUTH POINT (10-7, 7-4): Chance Gunther 5 5 2-4 27, Nakyan Turner 0 0 11-14 11, Darryl Taylor 1 0 0-0 2, Brody Blackwell 0 0 2-2 2, Kyle Badgett 0 1 0-0 3, Jake Adams 0 0 1-2 1, Mason Kazee 0 0 0-0 0, Carmelo Sammons 0 0 0-0 0, Xander Dornon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-31 16-22 46. 3-point goals: 6-14. Rebounds: 4-O, 17-D = 21 (Adams 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 7. Assists: 2. Steals: 5 (Gunther 2, Turner 2). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.