Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ATHENS — The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers like to shoot the 3-pointer. They like it even better when they make them.

The Lady Tigers did both on Wednesday as they shot 41 percent from behind the arc to beat the Athens Lady Bulldogs 51-32 in the season opener.

Ironton hit 11-of-27 shots from the 3-point line and 19-of-52 overall from the field for 36 percent.

Isabel Morgan was Ironton’s biggest triple treat as she hit six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 18 points.

Freshman Peyton Deer had 9 points on three 3-pointers in her varsity debut while Kirsten Williams had 8 points including a trey and she also grabbed 9 rebounds.

Evan Williams had 7 assists while Teegan Carpenter had 5 steals to go with 5 points including a triple.

Kianna Benton had 8 points as seven different players scored for the Lady Bulldogs (0-1).

Athens got within 16-15 early in the third quarter, but the Lady Fighting Tigers went on a 9-0 run and went ahead 27-18.

The offense got hot in the fourth quarter by hitting six consecutive 3-pointers and opened up a 47-22 cushion with 4:24 to play.

Ironton will host Gallipolis on Monday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Ironton 7 7 13 24 = 51

Athens 9 3 6 14 = 32

IRONTON (1-0): Evan Williams 2 0 -2 5, Teegan Carpenter 1 1 0-0 5, Mary Lackey 1 0 0-0 2, Kirsten Williams 2 1 1-2 8, Isabel Morgan 0 6 0-0 18, Chasity Cecil 2 0 0-0 4, Peyton Deer 0 3 0-2 9, Kately Cecil 0 0 0-0 0, Emerson White 0 0 0-0 0, Ariyah Freeman 0 0 0-0 0, Sara Bowen 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-52 2-6 51. 3-pt. goals: 11-27. Rebounds: 33 (K. Williams 9). Assists: 16 (E. Williams 7). Turnovers: 18. Steals: 14 (Carpenter 5) Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.

ATHENS (0-1): Bailey Cordray-Davis 0 2 1-2 7, Harper Bennett 2 0 0-4 4, Haylie Mills 3 0 1-5 7, Kesi Federspiel 1 0 0-2 2, Kianna Benton 0 1 5-8 8, Annika Benton 1 0 0-0 2, Emily Zuber 1 0 0-0 2, Asa Holcombe 0 0 0-0 0, Emma Molde 0 0 0-0 0, Annie Moulton 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11-42 7-21 32. 3-pt. goals: 3-14. Rebounds: 37 (Mills 10). Assists: 5 (Bennett 2). Turnovers: 24. Steals: 8 (Bennett 3, Holcombe 3). Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.