Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers had to wait 11 games, but the finally got their second chance.
After losing the season opener to Portsmouth, the Lady Tigers found turnabout was fair play as they held off the Lady Trojans 38-25 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.
Haylee Stevens was back pulling the trigger on long-range shots and hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter and Lydia Hannan added four points as Ironton took a 17-6 lead.
The Lady Fighting Tigers’ defense blanked the Lady Trojans in the second quarter and used trifectas by Stevens and Jada Rogers to open up a 27-6 lead at the break.
But as good as the offense was in the first half, Ironton struggled from the field in the second half and the Lady Trojans took the opportunity to mount a comeback.
Ironton got a trey from Kameren Arden and a basket from Elli Williams to account for all its scoring in the third quarter.
Hannah Hughes drained a pair of 3-pointers and Jasmine Eley hit a 3-pointers and scored five points as Portsmouth cut the deficit to just 32-25.
But neither team could find the basket in the fourth quarter as Riley Schreck and Sophie Caines had baskets for Ironton and Stevens sank two foul shots while Portsmouth managed just four points — all from Jaiden Rickett.
Ironton (5-7, 5-3) was led by Stevens with a game-high 14 points that included four 3-pointers. Hannan and Williams added six points each.
Rickett scored nine points, Hughes had six and both Nia Trinidad and Eley scored five points for all of Portsmouth’s total.
On Monday, Ironton visits Wheelersburg and Portsmouth goes to Northwest.
Ironton 17 10 5 6 = 38
Portsmouth 6 0 15 4 = 25
IRONTON (5-7, 5-3): Riley Scheck 1 0 0-0 2, Lydia Hannan 3 0 0-2 6, Elli Williams 3 0 0-0 6, Kameren Arden 0 1 0-2 3, Haylee Stevens 0 4 2-4 14, Jada Rogers 0 1 0-0 3, Abigail Patterson 0 0 0- 00, Sophie Caines 2 00-0 4. Totals: 9 6 2-8 38. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH (3-10, 3-5): Jasmine Eley 1 1 0-0 5, Nia Trinidad 0 1 2-3 5, Hannah Hughes 0 2 0-0 6, Ashanti Richardson 0 0 0-2 0, Faith Phillips 0 0 0-0 0, Jaiden Rickett 4 0 1-2 9Airy Thurman 0 0 0-0 0, Layla Kegg 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 5 4 3-7 25. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Eley.