Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Most coaches don’t believe in moral victories. Doug Graham takes exception to that thinking after Monday’s game.
With three players missing due to injuries and another out due to quarantine, the Lady Fighting Tigers battled before falling 35-32 in overtime to the Gallipolis Blue Angels in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
“I was incredibly proud of these girls. We were short-handed and the girls fought and fought and played so hard,” said Graham. “We’ve had two hard-fought games and we’re getting better every day. We’re battling. We’re getting there, it’s just going to take time.”
Evan Williams led Ironton (0-2, 0-1) with 17 points while Isabel Morgan added 7.
Maddy Petro scored 16 points to place Gallipolis.
Williams scored 6 points in the first quarter and Morgan got 4 more including a 3-pointer as Ironton took an 11-3 lead.
But Gallipolis rallied to get within 18-13 at the half as Petro had 5 points and Preslee Reed hit a 3-pointer. Kameren Arden drained a trifecta and Williams had 4 points to account for Ironton’s total in the quarter.
Petro scored 8 of the Blue Angels’ 10 points in the third quarter and Gallipolis trailed 25-23.
Williams scored 5 points and Morgan hit a pair of foul shots in the fourth quarter, but Regan Wilcoxen had 4 points and Petro 3 as Gallipolis tied the game at 32 and forced the overtime.
Ironton failed to score in overtime while Chanee Cremeens had a basket and Asia Griffin was 1-for-2 at the foul line for Gallipolis.
Graham said his players were visibly upset with the loss.
“It means something to them. I can see it in their eyes that they want to win. They want to fight. And we’ll get there,” said Graham.
Ironton host Rock Hill on Thursday.
Gallipolis 3 10 10 9 3 = 35
Ironton 11 7 7 7 0 = 32
GALLIPOLIS (NA): Chanee Cremeens 1 0 0-2 2, Asia Griffin 1 0 3-4 5, Maddy Petro 6 0 4-7 16, Regan Wilcoxen 2 0 0-1 4, Preslee Reed 0 1 1-2 4, Emma Hammons 2 0 0-0 4, Karen Truance 0 0 0-0 0. Totals; 12 1 8-16 35. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.
IRONTON (0-2, 0-1): Mary Lackey 0 1 1-2 4, Chasity Cecil 0 0 1-2 1, Kameren Arden 0 1 0-0 3, Isabel Morgan 0 1 4-6 7, Evan Williams 6 0 5-9 17, Gretta Patterson 0 0 0-1 0. Totals: 6 3 11-21 32. Fouls: 15. Fouled out; None.