Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — When the first place team faces the last place team, it shouldn’t be much of a game.
Except in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The league-leading Fairland Dragons had to battle their way past the upset-minded Rock Hill Redmen 39-32 on Friday to remain atop the OVC standings.
Fairland (10-4, 6-1) now plays Tuesday at Ironton who is tied for second in the league with Coal Grove and Gallipolis.
Clayton Thomas had 11points including three 3-pointers to lead Fairland. Matt Mondlak got nine points and three steals and Jacob Polcyn finished with eight points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Rock Hill (3-9, 0-7) Logan Hankins with 12 points and Brayden Malone who had 10. Kadin France had six rebounds and Jack Blagg five steals and two assists.
Fairland took an 8-3 lead on a basket by Aiden Porter with 6:05 left in the first quarter only to have Rock Hill tie the game at 8-8 on a 3-pointer by Hankins with 2:35 on the clock.
Thomas then knocked down a trey with 1:54 to go in the quarter and the Dragons led 11-8.
Polcyn and Hankins traded baskets to start the second quarter. Mondlak then hit a 3-pointer for Fairland and Malone scored for Rock Hill and it was 16-12.
Malone had a basket with 3:05 on the clock and it was 18-14 but Thomas hit another 3-pointer and Polcyn’s basket at the buzzer gave Fairland a 23-14 lead at the break.
Polcyn scored to put the lead at 25-14 at the 5:40 mark of the third quarter, but the Dragons wouldn’t score again until Andy Lang’s basket with 47 seconds left in the quarter and it was 27-23.
France hit a foul shot and then made a layup as Rock Hill got within 27-26 with 7:08 to play.
But Ian Chinn and Mondlak scored after the Dragons went ahead 31-26 with 2:34 left.
The Redmen got within three points on three occasions including 35-32 with 18 seconds left on a basket by Owen Hankins, but Rock Hill was forced to foul and Mondlak and Thomas each went 2-for-2 at the line to secure the win.
Rock Hill hosts Gallipolis on Tuesday.
Fairland 11 12 4 12 = 39
Rock Hill 8 6 9 9 = 32
FAIRLAND (10-4, 6-1): Jacob Polcyn 4 0 0-0 8, Aiden Porter 1 1 0-1 5, Gavin Hunt 0 0 0-0 0, Matt Mondlak 1 1 4-4 9, Ian Chinn 1 0 2-2 4, Andy Lang 1 0 0-0 2, Clayton Thomas 0 3 2-2 11. Totals: 13-28 8-9 39. 3-pt goals: 5-11. Rebounds: 7-O, 7-D = 14 (Polcyn 7). Assists: 11 (Polcyn 3, Porter 3). Steals: 7 (Mondlak 3, Polcyn 2). Turnovers: 8. Fouls: 5. Fouled out: None.
ROCK HILL (3-9, 0-7): Logan Hankins 2 2 2-2 12, Garrett Miller 1 0 0-0 2, Jake Blagg 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Blankenship 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Hankins 1 1 0-0 5, Brayden Malone 5 0 0-0 10, Cameron Donohue 0 0 0-0 0, Kadin France 1 0 1-2 3. Totals: 13-22 3-4 32. 3-pt goals: 3-7. Rebounds: 3-O, 9-D = 12 (France 6). Assists: 7 (Miller 3, Blagg 2). Steals: 7 (Blagg 5). Blocks: 2 (France 2). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: O. Hankins.