By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — Looking at the game stat sheet, Ironton shot 28.6 percent from 3-point range, had 14 turnovers and went 10-of-23 at the foul line for a meager 43.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the Coal Grove Hornets shot 46 percent from the field and 16-of-20 from the foul line for 80 percent.

Not only that, the Fighting Tigers trailed 61-51 with 1:36 to play after Owen Johnson sank two foul shots for the Hornets.

And when you add all of this together, of course you can figure out that the winning team was…Ironton?

Yes, Ironton put together a furious comeback that featured two clutch 3-pointers by Bryce Markins including the second one with 16 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime where Ironton was able to get a 72-68 Ohio Valley Conference win.

“We just refused to lose. We found a way to win. Bryce Markins hit a couple of big ones. Shaun (Terry) kind of went wild there late and Braden (Schreck) hit two big free throws,” said Ironton head coach Chris Barnes.

Despite the thrilling win, Barnes shook his head as he read aloud that Ironton was 10-of-23 from the foul line and the Hornets were 16-of-20.

“That was the difference in the game. Missing free throws really hurt us,” said coach Barnes.”We’ve got to get better at the foul line. Late in the game we did hit some big ones.”

Schreck and Ashton Layne got layups, Schreck made 2 free throws and a pair of crucial Coal Grove turnovers led to Markins hitting his 3-pointers to tie the game at 63.

“He can do that,” Barnes said of Markins.

Layne had a putback to start the overtime and then came up with a block. But Johnson made two foul shots to tie the game only to have Terry make a layup and then come up with a steal that he turned into a layup and a 69-65 lead with 1:45 left.

Schreck then fed Layne for a layup to make it 71-65 and Schreck’s foul shot made the spread 72-65 with 41 seconds left.

Johnson converted a 3-point play but Ironton (3-0, 2-0) was able to run out the clock.

Terry had a cutback just before the buzzer to give Ironton a 19-17 first quarter lead, but the Hornets rallied to take a 35-29 lead at the half.

Kody Harmon made a layup that put the Hornets up 41-35 in the third quarter and his two free throws extended the lead to 47-39 at the end of the quarter and set the stage for the thrilling finish.

“I told (Hornets’ coach Kevin) Vanderhoof we won about a minute in regulation and 4 minutes in overtime and that was it, They played well. Give them credit. Owen (Johnson) had a great game. He’s a good player,” said coach Barnes.

Terry scored 17 points, Layne had 17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks while Schreck got 15 points, 11 boards and 5 assists.

Johnson had a game-high 30 points, Karson Frecka 16 points and Smith added 11 for the Hornets (0-3, 0-2).

Ironton

Ironton     19 10 10 24 9 = 72

Coal Grove 17 18 12 16 5 = 68

IRONTON (3-0, 2-0): Shaun Terry 5 1 4-8 17, Bailey Thacker 3 0 1-5 7, Markel Cotton 1 2 0-0 8, Braden Schreck 6 0 3-5 15, Ashton Layne 6 1 2-3 17, Judah Barnes 0 0 0-2 0, Bryce Markins 0 2 0-0 6, Tyler Roach 1 0 0-0 2, Braylon Sturgill 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-68 10-23 72. 3-pt goals: 6-21. Rebounds: 19-O, 19-D = 38 (Schreck 11, Layne 11, Thacker 7). Assists: 12 (Schreck 5, Layne 3). Steals: 15 (Cotton 5, Layne 4). Blocks: 4 (Layne 3). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Terry (OT 0:54).

COAL GROVE (0-3, 0-2): Rylan Smith 3 1 2-4 11, Bradley Klaiber 1 0 0-0 2, Nick Abrams 0 0 0-0 0, Kody Harmon 2 0 3-4 7, Owen Johnson 10 1 7-7 30, Gavin Gipson 1 0 0-0 2, Karson Frecka 6 0 4-5 16. Totals: 25-54 16-20 68. 3-pt goals: 2-15. Rebounds: 5-O, 25-D = 30. Assists: 6. Steals: 4. Blocks: 2. Turnovers: 21.  Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.