By Tim Gearhart

Ironton’s Fighting Tigers squeezed out a 78-72 double overtime victory Friday night over the Coal Grove Hornets.

The next-door rivals went toe to toe for 40 minutes of play before Ironton pulled away in the second overtime, primarily at the foul line.

The teams battled to an 11-11 tie in the first quarter. Ironton pulled out in front by 3 at halftime and 3 more by the end of the third period. But Coal Grove rallied in the fourth to tie the contest at 58, sending the game into its first overtime period.

The game remained tied at 64 at the end of the first four minutes. Ironton pulled out the victory in the second four minutes of extra play on an 8-2 performance.

Ty Perkins led the Tigers scoring effort with 24 points on the night.

He opened the game with a pair of 2s in the first quarter. Teammates Landon Wilson and Matt Sheridan contributed 2 points each in the opening period, Wilson with a field goal and Sheridan with a pair of free throws. Braden Schreck added the remaining 3 points with a field goal and a free throw.

Coal Grove’s first quarter saw Hunter Staten with 4 — a field goal and 2 free throws. Braxton Horn drained a 3 while Perry Kingery and Owen Johnson each had 2s.

Aaron Masters got on the scoreboard in the second quarter for Ironton when he hit a pair of 3s and a 2. Schreck added 4 to his total, 2 at the line and one from the field. Perkins also had 4 with a pair of 2s.

Ironton widened their lead to 6 in the third period, again outscoring Coal Grove 16-13. Sheridan had a pair of 2s, Masters had a 2 and 3, Schreck hit a 3 and Perkins put up a pair of 2s.

For Coal Grove, Elijah Dillon and Braxton Horn each netted 3s, Kingery contributed a pair of 2s, while Johnson hit a 2 and Trevor Hankins earned a point at the free throw line.

Coal Grove rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring Ironton 21-15 to tie the game at 58. Hankins fired off a pair of 3s and a 2, Dillon had a 3 and a 2, Johnson a pair of 2s and Kingery had a 2 and a pair of free throws.

Schreck led Ironton in the fourth with 3 deuces. Perkins had 2 field goals, Masters hit for 3 and Ethan White got his first 2-pointer of the night.

The overtime periods saw Ironton picking up 13 of its 20 points at the foul line. Coal Grove went 4 of 10 from the line in overtime.

Besides Perkins 24-point performance, the Tigers had two other players in double figures: Schreck with 19 and Masters 16.

Four Hornets were in double figures: Hankins with 16, Johnson 13, Horn 12 and Kingery 11.

Ironton       11   16   16   15   6   14   =   78

Coal Grove 11   13   13   21   6     8   =   72

Ironton: Landon Wilson 1 0 5-8 7, Matt Sheridan 2 0 2-5 6, Aaron Masters 2 4 0-0 16, Braden Schreck 5 1 6-10 19, Ethan White 2 0 2-2 6, Ty Perkins 9 1 3-8 24. Totals: 21 6 18-34 78. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Ethan White.

Coal Grove: Trevor Hankins 4 2 2-4 16, Landon Davis 1 0 3-3 5, Hunter Staton 2 0 2-2 6, Elijah Dillon 1 2 1-2 9, Owen Johnson 6 0 1-5 13, Braxton Horn 3 2 0-0 12, Perry Kingery 4 0 3-6 11. Totals: 21 6 12-22 72. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Trevor Hankins, Owen Johnson.