Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — The 3-point goal was first used in 1961 in the one and a half-year history of the American Basketball League. It returned in 1967 as a part of the American Basketball Association.
The NBA finally adopted it in 1979, colleges in 1986 and high schools the following year.
The shot has change the game and it was never more evident than Monday when the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers beat the Rock Hill Redwomen 52-44 in overtime.
Rock Hill’s Cigi Pancake let fly with a 30-footer as time expired in regulation of the Ohio Valley Conference game and sent the contest into overtime, much like Jerry Harkness who threw in a 92-footer in a 1967 ABA game that gave Indiana a 119-118 win over the Dallas Chaparrels.
But her shot only tied the game and Ironton’s Teegan Carpenter and Kirsten Williams hit trifectas of their own in overtime that helped open up a 7-point lead and not only put Rock Hill in a deep hole but forced them to foul.
Evan Williams was clutch in the overtime for Ironton as she converted 4-of-6 free throws and finished with 12 points.
Isabel Morgan scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the first half as she made two of her three triples.
Rock Hill (2-10, 1-6) led 11-10 after the first quarter as Pancake scored 7 of her 14 points including a 3-pointer. Morgan had 7 points as she and Carpenter hit 3-pointers.
Morgan hit another shot from behind the arc and scored 9 points in the second quarter as Ironton took a 21-19 halftime lead. The game was tied when Morgan stole an inbounds pass and made a layup just before time expired.
Ironton led 29-26 after three quarters and Rock Hill outscored Ironton 12-9 the fourth quarter as Hadyn Bailey hit a trey and scored 6 points to go with Pancake’s long shot basket.
Carpenter — who finished with 15 points — and Williams combined for all 9 Ironton points as each went 2-for-2 at the foul line.
Bailey hit another 3-pointer in overtime but it wasn’t enough to overcome the production of Carpenter, Williams and Williams.
Bailey led Rock Hill with 15 points.
Rock Hill host Fairland Wednesday and Coal Grove on Thursday. Ironton is at Chesapeake on Thursday.
Ironton 10 11 8 9 14 = 52
Rock Hill 11 8 7 12 6 = 44
IRONTON (5-5, 4-4): Mary Lackey 1 – 1-2 3, Chasity Cecil 0 0 0-0 0, Lilly Zornes 0 0 0-0 0, Teegan Carpenter 2 3 2-2 15, Kirstin Williams 0 1 0-0 3 Isabel Morgan 4 3 2-3 19, Evan Williams 3 0 6-8 12. Gretta Patterson 0 0 0-2 0. Totals: 10 7 11-18 52. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
ROCK HILL (2-10, 1-6): Aleigha Matney 2 0 0-0 4, Hadyn Bailey 3 2 3-6 15, Emma Scott 2 0 0-1 4, Hope Easterling 2 0 1-6 5, Jaina Bailey 0 0 0-0 0, Cigi Pancake 2 3 1-2 14, MaKenzie Hanshaw 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 17-52 5-15 44. 3-pt goals: 6-15. Rebounds: 4-O, 13-D = 17 (Hanshaw 6, Easterling 4, H. Bailey 4, Pancake 3). Steals: 2 (Scott, H. Bailey). Blocks: 3 (Easterling 2, H. Bailey). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Matney, H. Bailey.