ATHENS — When it comes to tournament basketball, the most important factor in the outcome is defense. The Wheelersburg Pirates made defense their main area of concern heading into their Division 5 district semifinal game on Tuesday at the Ohio University Convocation Center. And it was their defense that gave them a hard-fought 60-52 win over the Fairland Dragons. The Pirates now play Ironton at 2 p.m. Saturday in the district finals at the Convocation Center. Wheelersburg (15

ATHENS — In a tournament, the idea is to survive and move on. The Ironton Fighting Tigers proved they were survivors. The top-seeded Fighting Tigers were facing their rivals in the Division 5 district semifinals on Tuesday at the Ohio University Convocation Center. The rival Portsmouth Trojans — who gave Ironton one of their two losses on the season — took Ironton to the wire but the Fighting Tigers held on for. 49-46 win. Ironton (21-2) will now play Eastern Brown at 2 p.m.

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