Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Grizzle sizzled.
Ironton senior guard Jordan Grizzle scored a season-high 20 points including 15 in the second half and handed out 6 assists as the Fighting Tigers beat the Portsmouth Trojans 53-33 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Wednesday.
“You can see his progression from the beginning of the year. He’s a good shooter and he’s proved that in the second half of the year,” said Ironton coach P.J. Fitch.
Ironton (10-8, 8-5) was playing its second game in as many days after losing a tough 54-50 decision at No. 10-ranked Zane Trace on Tuesday.
The Fighting Tigers’ defense held both teams below their scoring averages and Fitch praised the effort of Collin “Lockdown” Freeman who held Matthew Fraulini to just 8 points, half of his scoring average.
“We played some really solid D. We face-guarded Fraulini and we didn’t allow (Miles) Shipp to spot up for open shot,” said Fitch.
I can’t say enough about Collin Freeman. There’s no price tag you can put on his heart. I’m so proud of the defense he plays. Both those two guys were the key to our game.”
Ironton also got 13 points and 7 rebounds from Reid Carrico and Gage Salyes had 6 rebounds and Trent Hacker and Trent Milleson grabbed 5 each.
“The kids did a really good job keeping (Shipp) off the glass. We did a really good job being patient on offense and getting what we wanted,” said Fitch.
Donovan Carr had 9 points to go with Fraulini’s total to lead Portsmouth (8-12, 5-8). Shipp had 8 rebounds.
The lead changed hands four times in the first quarter until Portsmouth tied the game at 11-all on a layup by Fraulini.
Salyers then hit a 13-footer and scored on a layup off a pass from Freeman before Grizzle’s foul shot gave Ironton a 15-11 lead to end the quarter.
Hacker and Portsmouth’s Drew Roe traded 3-pointers to begin the second quarter and the Trojans tied the game at 21-21 on another triple by Roe with 2:21 on the clock.
Two foul shots by Carrico with 1:02 on the clock put Ironton ahead 23-21 at the break.
Two layups by Carrico and another by Grizzle opened up a 29-21 lead to open the third quarter.
Shipp had a putback but Grizzle made a layup and then buried a trifecta for a 34-23 lead. Fraulini got a 3-pointer but Grizzle came back with his own trey and Freeman had a pair of layups off nice passes from Grizzle and Salyers and it was 41-26.
Amare Johnson scored for the Trojans but Salyers’ layup with 16 seconds left in the quarter gave the Fighting Tigers a 43-28 cushion.
Grizzle’s 8-footer and 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter had the lead at 48-30. Carr hit a 3-pointer but Carrico made a free throw and Milleson got a putback for a 51-33 lead that settle the issue.
NEXT UP: Ironton goes to Fairland on Friday and host Spring Valley on Saturday with jayvee game starting at 1 p.m.
Ironton 16 7 20 10 = 53
Portsmouth 11 10 7 5 = 33
IRONTON (9-8, 7-5): Gage Salyers 3 0 0-0 6, Jordan Grizzle 4 3 3-5 20, Collin Freeman 2 1 0-0 7, Reid Carrico 5 0 3-5 13, Trent Milleson 1 0 0-0 2, Trent Hacker 0 1 0-0 3, Brayden Easterly 0 0 0-0 0, Landen Wilson 0 0 0-0 0, Cameron Deere 0 0 0-0 0, Will York 0 0 0-0 0, Christian Wright 1 0 0-0 2, Tayden Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-45 6-10 53. 3-pt goals: 5-17. Rebounds: 14-O, 27-D = 41 (Carrico 7, Salyers 6, Milleson 5, Hacker 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 10. Assists: 11 (Grizzle 6). Steals: 6 (Grizzle 2). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH (8-11, 5-7): Matthew Fraulini 1 2 0-0 8, Drew Roe 0 2 1-2 7, Jesse Dixon 0 0 0-0 0, Miles Shipp 2 0 1-2 5, Donovan Carr 0 3 0-0 9, Amare Johnson 2 0 0-0 4, Dariyonne Bryant 0 0 0-0 0, Jack Workman 0 0 0-0 0, Jaylind Thomas 0 0 0-0 0, Trevor Pope 0 0 0-0 0, Chris Duff 0 0 0-0 0, Daewin Spence 0 0 0-0 0, Tanner Cantrell 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-46 2-4 33. 3-pt goals: 7-28. Rebounds: 7-O, 12-D = 19 (Shipp 8). Team/deadball rebounds: 6. Assists: 2. Steals: 3. Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: Fraulini (4th 2:08).