PEDRO – Get a can opener and take the lid off that basket.

Saturday, February 16, 2002

PEDRO – Get a can opener and take the lid off that basket.

That’s how the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers felt Wednesday as they lost 55-31 to the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates in the Division III sectional tournament.

With shot after shot going in and out or off the basket, Ironton shot a woeful 8 of 59 from the field for just 13.6 percent.

"We couldn’t throw the ball in the proverbial ocean tonight," Ironton coach Kevin Richardson said. "We had wide-open shots, we had layups, it didn’t matter what kind of shot we had, the ball just wouldn’t go in for us.

"If 12 of those layups go in, it’s a tie game. And those are shots we usually make."

Wheelersburg made 22 of 57 shots from the floor and 11 of 22 at the foul line.

Emily Hehl scored 22 points and hauled down 16 rebounds to lead the Lady Pirates. Kendra Massie added 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and six steals in a solid all-around performance.

Candace Ferguson and Rachel McClellan scored eight points each and Ashley Hannon seven to pace Ironton. Ferguson also had 10 rebounds and Christina Norris grabbed six rebounds. Andrea Rudmann grabbed six steals and Hannon four.

The Lady Tigers held a 9-8 lead at the end of the first quarter on three foul shots by Hannon and two more by Ferguson with just 13 seconds remaining in the quarter.

But Ironton did not score again until Hannon hit two foul shots with 3:42 left in the half. Hannon then knocked down an 8-footer at the 3:05 mark and it was 17-13.

Wheelersburg went on a 5-0 run to lead 22-13 before Rudmann drained a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left and Ironton trailed just 22-16 despite shooting 4 of 24 from the field.

A short jumper by Norris at the 7:18 mark of the third quarter had Ironton down 24-18, but the Lady Tigers went scoreless until Ferguson sank the first of two foul shots at the 2:30 mark and it was 31-19.

The Lady Pirates led 37-23 at the end of the quarter.

Ironton struggled to shoot 2 of 22 from the field the fourth quarter and virtually end any hopes of a comeback.

Wheelersburg will play Fairland at 2:45 p.m. Saturday in the sectional finals.

Ironton 9 7 7 8 – 31

Wheelersburg 8 14 15 18 – 55

IRONTON (6-13): Andrea Rudmann 0 1 2-2 5, Ashley Hannon 1 0 5-6 7, Carly Isaac 0 0 0-1 0, Candace Ferguson 2 0 4-10 8, Rachel McClellan 3 0 2-3 8, Brittany Walker 0 0 0-0 0, Christina Norris 1 0 1-2 3, Sarah Cartmell 0 0 0-0 0, Kim Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, Laura Oakes 0 0 0-0 0, Ali Markins 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8-59 (1-12) 14-22 31. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 16-20-36 (Ferguson 10, Norris 6, Hannon 5, McClellan 4, Walker 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 1. Assists: 3 (McClellan 2). Steals: 14 (Rudmann 6, Hannon 4). Turnovers: 23.

WHEELERSBURG: Carrie Bolin 3 0 2-2 8, Emily Hehl 10 0 2-3 22, Sara Henry 1 0 0-0 2, Maggie Howe 0 0 4-6 4, Kendra Massie 5 0 0-1 10, Brittany Glockner 1 0 0-0 2, Emily Mershon 0 0 0-2 0, Haley Messer 1 0 0-0 2, Danielle Thomas 0 0 0-2 0, Brooke Emnett 1 0 2-2 4, Jessica Seeley 0 0 1-2 1, Ashley Nelson 0 0 0-2 0, Heather Morrison 0 0 0-0 0, Michelle Thomas 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-57 (0-1) 11-22 55. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Bolin. Rebounds: 16-38=54 (Hehl 16, Bolin 8, Massie 8). Team/deadball rebounds: 2. Assists: 5 (Massie 2). Steals: 10 (Massie 6, Hehl 2). Turnovers: 28.