Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

Ironton head coach Chris Barnes, “STOP!”

“It’s the same story. We get a great defensive effort but we can’t score,” said Barnes after Ironton lost to the Russell Red Devils 49-41 on Wednesday at the Ironton Classic.

“We’re offensively challenged. We’ve seen more zone than I’ve seen in five games than I’ve seen in five years. We still had it right there. We got it to one point again but it seems like we always miss a layup and it turns into a layup the other way.”

A basket by Jaxon Vance had Ironton down 32-31 at the start of the fourth quarter and then Russel got two baskets and a free throw to lead 37-31.

Brady Bell scored 31 points including 15 points in the fourth quarter as Russell (5-2) won its fifth straight.

Ty Perkins had 10 points, 6 rebounds 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots for Ironton (2-5) which suffered its fifth straight loss.

Matt Sheridan had 8 points while Braden Schreck — the team’s leading scorer — had 6 points, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Ethan White grabbed 7 rebounds and Lincoln Barnes pulled down 5.

“They put Bell on Schreck. They have a strong 6-5 senior on a freshman and that was tough for Braden. Bell is a great kid and he has three or four scholarship offers from Division 2 and NAIA schools. I’ve known him since he was in the seventh grade and he puts in the work,” said Barnes.

Ironton was up 5-3 early when Russell went on a 10-2 run to lead 137 at the end of the first quarter.

Vance and Sheridan hit 3-pointers to start the second quarter and tie the game.

Schreck’s basket had Ironton with 19-17 with 3:35 left in the half, but the Red Devils opened up a 26-17 lead after Bell-s 3-pointer.

Perkins scored at the buzzer and Ironton was down 28-20 at the break.

Schreck got a steal and hit a 15-footer and White had a cutback as Ironton was down 28-24. Russell held on to lead 32-28 at the end of the quarter as Bell did not score in the quarter.

But after Ironton got within 32-31, Russell went on a opened up a 49-39 lead.

“We’re playing as hard as we can play. We played well (Tuesday against Boyd County). I love our defensive effort and that we’re not quitting. But it’s frustrating. To get the lead you have to get two or three baskets in a row and we’re not doing that. It’s an up hill battle,” said Barnes.

Ironton will host Coal Grove on Jan. 4.

Russell 13 15 4 17 = 49

Ironton 7 13 8 13 = 41

RUSSELL (5-2): Brady Bell 10 1 8-15 31, Carson Blum 0 0 2-2 2, Griffin Downs 3 1 0-0 0, Damon Charles 2 0 1-3 5, Carson Patrick 0 0 1-2 1, Bradley Rose 0 0 1-2 1, Caleb Rimmer 0 0 0-0 0, Landon McDowell 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-38 13-24 49. 3-pt goals: 2-9. Rebounds: 9-O, 24-D = 33. Assists: 3. Steals: 5. Blocks: 7. Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (2-5): Landen Wilson 0 1 1-1 4, Matt Sheridan 1 2 0-0 8, Shaun Terry 0 0 0-0 0, Braden Schreck 3 0 0-0 6, Ethan White 2 0 0-0 4, Ty Perkins 3 0 4-6 10, Lincoln Barnes 1 0 1-2 3, Jaxon Vance 1 1 1-2 6. Totals: 15-54 7-11 41. 3-pt goals: 4-19. Rebounds: 10-O, 15-D = 25 (White 7, Perkins 6, Barnes 5). Assists: 11 (Perkins 3, Barnes 3, White 2). Steals: 7 (Perkins 3, Schreck 2). Blocks: 4 (Perkins 2, Schreck 2). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Vance (4th 5:56).