Tigers pick up pace in 2nd half to roll by Hornets

IRONTON — If you’re feeding the Ironton Fighting Tigers, forget second helpings. Just go to the desserts.

Ironton started fast but struggled in the second quarter again on Monday against Coal Grove, but the Fighting Tigers were able to get things going again in the second half as they beat the Hornets 67-38.

“We’ve had some bad second quarters the past three games,” said Ironton coach Drew Stevens.

“Spring Valley we had a bad second quarter. Wheelersburg, we had a horrible second quarter. That will bite you the further that you go.”

Ironton (8-1, 4-0) came out hot as Brycen Mullins and Stephen Ison combined to make 4 of 5 on 3-point attempts in the first quarter.

However, Ironton was 0-of-19 from behind the arc the rest of the game but did manage to shoot 24 of 74 for the game overall.

“We’re not going to win basketball games like that. We can get by with our sheer athletic ability for so long. At some point, those shots have to start falling,” said Stevens.

“Mullins and Ison had really good looks tonight. Those are the looks that we want, but not the results that we want.”

The Fighting Tigers defense forced 17 turnovers and had just 5, their lowest total of the season. Stevens said Ironton did not play with the same intensity it has shown but added it caught a break because the Hornets were missing players due to injuries.

“They had some starters out so they weren’t at full capacity. (Caden) Turner made some tough shots,” said Stevens.

Ironton opened up a 15-3 lead after a 3-pointer by Ison at the 3:14 mark.

Ison and Mullins hit 3-pointers as the lead went to 21-5 and a steal and layup by Mullins made it 23-5.

Turner hit a 10-foot turn-around jumper at the buzzer to make it 23-7.

Maddix Markel’s layup gave Ironton a 29-13 lead. Turner scored and Rylan Smith had a foul shot to make it 29-15, but Kayden Edwards converted a pair of foul shots that put Ironton up 31-16.

Ashton Layne’s layup gave Ironton a 33-18 lead before Peyton Bryant’s free throw with four seconds left got Coal Grove within 33-19 at the half.

“I thought it was laziness. We played with our hands as opposed to playing with our bodies. That was a little disappointing. Ultimately, we got the win,” said Stevens.

Ironton outscored Coal Grove 14-6 in the third quarter as all of Coal Grove’s points came on foul shots.

A layup by Layne off a nice pass from Edwards put the lead at 50-27. Layne hit another layup and Markel’s layup with 5:50 to play built a 54-27 cushion.

Layne and Markel scored 14 points each for Ironton with Mullins and Wyatt Wolfe scoring 8 each. Layne had 8 rebounds and Wolfe 6.

Smith had 12 points while Bronson Guy scored 10 for the Hornets (4-4, 0-3).

Ironton visits Portsmouth on Thursday. Coal Grove played at St. Joseph on Tuesday and will host South Point on Thursday.

Coal Grove  7   12     6   13  =  38

Ironton 23   10   14   20  =  67

COAL GROVE (4-4, 0-3): Bronson Guy 3 0 4-9 10, Peyton Bryant 0 0 1-4 1, Rylan Smith 3 1 3-6 12, Braydon Klaiber 1 0 0-0 2, Chayce Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, Braden Schug 0 0 0-0 0, Caden Turner 3 0 2-2 8, Braxton Patrick 0 1 0-0 3, Truitt Fields 0 0 2-2 2, Miles Roach 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 2 12-23 38. Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Klaiber (4th 6:54).

IRONTON (8-1, 4-0): Wyatt Wolfe 3 0 2-3 8, Maddix Markel 5 0 4-4 14, Carson Blankenship 0 0 2-2 2, Braydon Baker 0 0 0-0 0, Ashton Layne 5 0 4-7 14, Brycen Mullins 1 2 0-0 8, Tyson Harvey 2 0 0-0 4, Carson Freeman 0 0 0-0 0, Kayden Edwards 0 0 3-4 3, Bubby Kidd 0 0 0-0 0, Stephen Ison 0 2 0-0 6, Zayne Williams 2 0 0-0 4, Dawson “Jokic” Philyaw 1 0 0-0 2, Jace Williams 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 24-74 15-20 67. 3-pt goals: 4-24. Rebounds: Layne 8, Wolfe 6). Turnovers: 5. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.