Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — There was a scene in the movie “Happy Gilmore” when Adam Sandler — known for his long drives but bad short game — looked at Shooter McGavin and said, “Happy learned how to putt. Uh-oh.”
With Coal Grove’s zone defense packed in on Ironton center Reid Carrico, Gage Salyers and Jordan Grizzle showed they knew how to hit the outside shot to help open things up inside.
With Salyers and Grizzle hitting four 3-pointers each, the Fighting Tigers downed the Coal Grove Hornets 55-39 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.
“We did some things pretty well Gage Salyers stepped up and hit some big shots outside. Grizz hit some 3s for us outside. We have to hit some of those outside shots to be able to get the ball inside to Reid,” said Ironton coach P.J. Fitch.
“We’ve got some guys who can hit the perimeter shots if they play us that way (zone).”
Ironton (3-4, 3-2) was 9-of21 from the 3-point line for 43 percent. Conversely, Coal Grove was an uncharacteristic 5-of 23 for only 22 percent.
Carrico had 16 points and 13 rebounds for another double-double. Salyers had 14 points, Grizzle 13 and Trent Hacker 6 rebounds.
Evan Gannon scored 13 points and Malachi Wheeler 12 — 10 in the first half — to lead the Hornets (3-6, 2-3).
Salyers hit a pair of trifectas and Collin Freeman another as Ironton took a 13-7 first quarter lead.
Wheeler’s putback got the Hornets within 13-9 to begin the second quarter only to have Grizzle hit a trey and Hacker score 3 points for a 19-9 lead.
Wheeler hit a 3-pointers to make it 25-17 but Salyers drained a triple with two seconds left I nthe half for a 28-17 lead.
A putback by Carrico and a 17-footer by Trent Milleson gave Ironton its biggest lead of 43-22 with 2:49 left in the third quarter.
Trevor Hankins hit a 3-pointer and Jarren Hicks made to foul shots as Coal Grove cut the deficit to 43-27.
Gannon’s triple and Hicks layup to begin the fourth quarter made it 43-32 with 6:51 left.
But Carrico hit a pair of free throws, Grizzle nailed a 3-pointer and Carrico got another layup for a 55-37 lead with 1:35 to go.
“We had a lot of careless passes and tried to force the ball into the post. I wasn’t pleased with our ball movement when they switched to man-to-man,” said Fitch.
“We were more focused on the guys who were hurting us. Gannon got loose and hit some shots on us.”
On Friday, Ironton entertains Portsmouth and Coal Grove host South Point.
Ironton 13 15 15 12 = 55
Coal Grove 7 10 10 12 = 39
IRONTON (3-4, 3-2): Gage Salyers 1 4 0-0 14, Trent Hacker 1 0 1-2 3, Jordan Grizzle 0 4 1-2 13, Reid Carrico 7 0 2-3 16, Collin Freeman 1 1 0-0 5, Trent Milleson 1 0 0-0 2, Caleb Hopper 0 0 0-0 0, Landen Wilson 1 0 0-0 2, Brayden Easterling 0 0 0-0 0, Tayden Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0, Noah Davidson 0 0 0-2 0, Cameron Deere 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Howell 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-45, 4-9 55, 3-pt goals: 9-21. Rebounds: 9-O, 27 = 36 (Carrico 13, Hacker 6). Team/deadball rebounds: 4. Assists: 10 (Carrico 3, Grizzle 3, Hopper 2). Steals: 8 (Grizzle 3, Freeman 2). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.
COAL GROVE (3-6, 2-3): Perry Kingery 0 0 0-0 0, Evan Gannon 3 2 1-1 13, Payton Smith 0 0 1-2 1, Malachi Wheeler 3 2 0-0 12, Trevor Carey 2 0 0-0 4, Trevor Hankins 0 1 0-0 3, Jarren Hicks 2 0 2-3 6, Trey Hunt 0 0 0-0 0, Luke Ferguson 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Hall 0 0 0-0 0, Dresden Mullins 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-57 4-6 39. 3-pt goals: 5-23. Rebounds: 7-O, 18-D = 25 (Kinger 5, Wheeler 5, Gannon 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 4. Steals: 5 (Gannon 2). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.