Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — Winning on the road has avoided Ironton this season and winning at Gallipolis has always been difficult.
Nothing changed on Tuesday.
Ironton squandered an early nine-point lead and had one of its worst shooting performances of the season in losing 51-48 to the Gallipolis Blue Devils in overtime.
The Fighting Tigers were just 18-of-52 from the field for 34 percent. They were a mere 1-of-12 in the second quarter and 2-of-11 on the third quarter.
Part of the shooting problems can be attributed to Gallipolis’ 6-foot-11 freshman center Zach Loveday who blocked 12 shots. He also had 10 rebounds.
“I thought the kids battled. It was a tough road game. Gallia is a good team,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.
“We had our chances to take care of the situations. When you are on the road you have to control the mental part. Bad decisions hurt us when we had chances to put the game away.”
Ironton is now 8-8 overall and 4-6 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Gallipolis (11-4, 7-2) had fewer field goals than Ironton (15-of-53) but converted 18-of-29 free throws including 15-of-23 in the second half. Ironton was 7-of-14 at the foul line.
Ethan Wilson had 13 points and eight rebounds for Ironton. Ryan Bryant had nine points and eight rebounds and Andrew Scott also grabbed eight rebounds as Ironton racked up 50 rebounds.
Evan Wiseman and Justin McClelland scored 11 points each and Cory Call added 10 points off the bench.
Ironton opened the game with a 14-5 run. Gallipolis cut the deficit to 16-12 at the end of the quarter and a short jumper by Loveday made it 16-14 to begin the second quarter.
Three foul shots by Bryant put Ironton up 19-15 but Gage Harrison hit a 3-pointer to get Gallipolis within 19-18.
Bryant followed up a missed shot and his free throw with 32 seconds left in the half put Ironton up 22-19 at the break.
A put-back by Jourdyn Barrow gave Ironton a 26-21, but Gallipolis went on a 10-0 run to end the quarter and led 31-26.
Back-to-back baskets by Barrow and Kyle Adkins got Ironton within 33-32 and Bryant’s 3-pointer with one minute in regulation put the Fighting Tigers up 38-37.
Ironton missed the front end of a one-and-one and got the rebound, but a turnover gave the ball back to Gallipolis and Wiseman hit the second of two free throws to tie the game with 14 seconds on the clock.
Wilson’s layup to start the overtime gave Ironton its last lead. Miles Cornwell then made two straight layups, Wiseman hit a 3-pointer and Loveday two free throws and it was 47-40 with 32 seconds left.
Ryan Payne hit a trifectea for Ironton and Wilson’s triple closed the gap to 50-48.
Cornwell hit a foul shot with seven seconds to go but Ironton missed a 3-point attempt with two seconds left.
On Friday, Ironton visits Rock Hill and Gallipolis hosts Coal Grove
Ironton       16    6    4    12    10    =    48
Gallipolis    12    7    12    7    13    =    51
IRONTON (8-8, 4-6): Ethan Wilson 4 1 2-4 13, Joel Blankenship 0 1 0-0 3, Kyle Adkins 2 1 0-1 7, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 0-0 0, Raphael Glover 1 0 0-1 2, Andrew Scott 3 0 0-0 6, Jourdyn Barrow 2 0 0-0 4, Ryan Bryant 1 1 4-6 9, Ryan Payne 0 1 0-0 3, Jordan Grizzle 0 0 1-2 1. Totals: 18-52 7-14 48. 3-point goals: 5-15. Rebounds: 20-O, 30-D = 50 (Bryant 8, Scott 8, Wilson 8). Team/deadball rebounds: 6. Assists: 3. Steals: 8 (Wilson 3). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Glover (3rd 0:07), Bryant (4th (0:14).
GALLIPOLIS (11-4, 7-2): Miles Cornwell 1 1 2-4 7, Justin McClelland 2 0 7-11 11, Evan Wiseman 3 1 2-4 11, Justin Peck 0 0 1-2 1, Zach Loveday 2 0 4-4 8, Cory Call 4 0 2-3 10, Kaden Thomas 0 0 0-0 0, Gage Harrison 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 15-53 18-29 51. 3-point goals: 3-13. Rebounds: 12-O, 23-D = 35 (Loveday 10, Wiseman 6). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 5. Steals: 5 (Wiseman 3). Turnovers: 8. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Peck (4th 2:32).