Fransen, Lochow help Dragons edge past Zane Trace, give Thomas first career win

CHILLICOTHE — It was exciting for the Fairland Dragons players, their fans, and their first-year head coach.

Fairland slipped past the host Zane Trace Pioneers 59-58 in the Zane Trace High School Tip-Off Classic to give Scott Thomas his first career coaching win.

The Dragons (1-0) took a 15-12 first quarter lead as Trevor Lochow scored 6 points, Cliff Fransen had 4 and Gerald Love hit a 3-pointer.

Grady Stewart hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points for Zane Trace in the quarter.

Gunnar McCullough got hot and scored 12 points in the second quarter as the Pioneers rallied to take a 33-30 halftime lead.

Lochow scored 8 points, Fransen 4 and Love knocked down another triple for the Dragons.

Fairland came out the second half and held the Pioneers to just 5 points as they pulled away and built a 49-38 lead.

Fransen turned up the heat with a 3-pointer as he scored 11 points. Love added his third 3-pointer of the game.

But in the fourth quarter, Zane Trace outscored the Dragons 20-10 as Roman Berry hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points and Stewart hit a triple and scored 7 points including a pair of technical free throws.

Fairland held strong behind a pair of 3-pointers by Love as he continued to pound away from downtown. Fransen and Lochow each added a bucket to preserve the win.

Fransen led the Dragons with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Lochow scored 18 points including 8 of 8 from 2-point range while Love got 15 points, all on 3- pointers.

McCullough led the Pioneers with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Stewart added 19 points and Brice Johnson grabbed 8 rebounds.

Fairland  15 15 19 10 = 59

Zane Trace 12 21 5 20 = 58

FAIRLAND (1-0): Ford Rickard 1-2 0-0 1-1 3, Trevor Lochow 8-8 0-5 2-2 18, Kiyan Page 0-1 0-4 0-0 0, Cliff Fransen 9-15 1-1 0-0 21, Stephen Jones 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Gerald Love 0-0 5-9 0-0 15, Maddox Gue 1-1 0-0 0-0 2, Owen Burcham 0-0 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-46 3-3 59. 3-pt goals: 6-19. Rebounds: 23 (Fransen 10). Assists: 2 (Fransen, Lochow). Steals: 7 (Lochow 2, Love 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

ZANE TRACE (0-1): Lantz Stevens 0-2 1-3 1-2 4, Noah Kysor 0-1 0-2 0-0 0, Grady Stewart 3-8 3-10 2-2 19, Roman Berry 1-6 2-5 1-2 9, Brice Johnson 2-6 0-0 0-0 4, Hudson Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Jamison Hill 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Gunnar McCullough 8-15 1-2 3-4 22. Totals: 21-60 7-10 58. 3-pt goals: 7-22. Rebounds: 31 (McCullough 12, Johnson 8) Assists: 3 (Stevens 2, Stewart 1). Steals: 4. Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.