Defense ignites Pirates 4th quarter scoring run to down Ironton

WHEELERSBURG — Some key defensive stops, coupled with a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter proved to be the edge needed for the Wheelersburg Pirates to knock off the Ironton Fighting Tigers on Tuesday night in clash of Southeast Ohio rivals.

After the game, Pirates coach Alex Prater was very satisfied with the effort by the defense to stop Ironton's high-scoring offense.

"You know we hadn't played well defensively in our first two games. Ironton came in with a ton of talent, playing extremely well. Layne is an exceptional player, does a lot of things and is hard to stop. So we had to rely on our identity which is defense and. We had to kinda retool and focus on that."

For senior Landon McGraw, the win was a big one despite it being so early in the season.

"It's sweet. You know, it's a hype game and we work hard for games like this all year. We got a little late start with football but we came in and did things right and took care of it."

Wheelersburg was able to get huge minutes and effort down low from Hunter Bivens, Landon McGraw and Graer Woodward. As those three did much of the work to limit Ironton from dominating the paint.

The trio combined 18 rebounds and four blocked shots and limited Ironton's dynamic scorer, Ashton Layne, from taking over the game as he did in the Chesapeake and Fairland games most recently.

"Graer is a freshman and he's figuring out how to play varsity basketball. To be where he's at this early in his career, has us excited," said Prater. "Bivens is an ultimate team guy. The success he has isn't accidental, he works for it, puts the time in and it pays off for him. Landon is such a mature individual and is such a positive voice for his teammates."

For much of the first half, the Pirates (3-0) controlled the game with their ability to play help defense and contest nearly every shot by Ironton. The effort paid off, as the Tigers were just 1-for-7 from the 3-point line and 10-of-25 shooting from inside the arc in the first half.

But likewise, Ironton's defense was able to get Wheelersburg to shoot 3-for-18 from the field in the third quarter and climb their way back into the game.

During the third, Brycen Mullins scored 7 of Ironton's 13 points in the stanza to help with the comeback on the offensive end. The junior's last shot of the third was from around the free throw line as time expired to cut Wheelersburg's lead down to 43-40.

Ironton (6-1) would complete the comeback and tie the game to begin the fourth period when Layne scored from the low block, drew a foul and sank the free throw for the 3-point play to make the score 43-all at the 7:03 mark.

In need of a run, the Pirates turned to their defense to get their offense going again.

Layne came down with a rebound on the other end and brought the ball back up the floor looking to drive for two, but Woodward was able to get a hand on the ball and alter the shot, getting a huge defensive stop for the Pirates.

Then a possession later, Woodward blocked another shot and then McGraw came up with a steal to end another Ironton possession.

The two stops paid off, as Bivens came up with a score on a put back to give the Pirates the lead for good and ignite a 10-0 run.

During the scoring run, Braylon Rucker had a pair of layups off steals, McGraw faked a handoff at the foul line and went in for a score and Bivens scored in transition to push the Pirates lead out to 53-43 with 2:37 showing on the clock.

While McGraw didn't put up the scoring number he had in the previous game, he knew that he had to take advantage of any opportunity given to him in a game like this one.

"You definitely have to take opportunities as they come to you. So any opportunity to score and help the team out is a great thing to do."

The run would prove to be the difference and the Pirates would hold on the rest of the way for the win.

In the first period, Ironton gained the upper hand with their usual diet of attacking the rim and scoring on the inside.

However, the Tigers would take their final lead of the game aout midway through the first on a pair of free throws from Edwards to make the score 8-7.

The Pirates would grab the lead for good when Bivens dished to Jack Doerr on a backdoor cut for the score just a few possessions later and Wheelersburg would hold a 16-12 lead after one period of play.

During the second quarter, Mullins would cut the deficit down to 23-21 on a 3-pointer from the corner off an inbounds pass.

But the Pirates would again stretch their lead back out with help on the defensive end with a steal from Bivens and throwing ahead to Rucker in transition for a layup, then Woodward came up with a steal and took it the distance himself for the lay in to give Wheelersburg a 32-25 lead with under 2 minutes remaining before halftime.

Woodward — who came up with a pair of steals in the second quarter — felt the extra preparation on the defensive end was a key part of their success.

"On the one day we did practice, we worked on our defense," said Woodward. "We had a defensive practice because we knew we had to guard. First couple games we gave up a bunch of points, but tonight we held them to 46."

Ironton would get some of those points back before halftime, highlighted by Layne catching a run out pass from Edwards and putting down a one-handed jam to send Ironton's fans and student section into a frenzy.

But Wheelersburg would answer with a 3-pointer from Bivens — that got the roll off the front of the rim — to take a 35-37 lead into the locker room.

The Pirates were paced by Rucker with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Bivens added 12 points, 7 boards and 5 assists. McGraw put in 10 points and pulled in 7 rebounds in the win.

Ironton was led by Layne with a game-high 18 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. Mullins scored 17 and had a pair of assists.

Ironton     12   15   13    6  =  46

Wheelersburg 16   16   11   11  =  54

IRONTON (6-1): Maddix Markel 2 0 0-0 4, Ashton Layne 8 0 2-3 18, Brycen Mullins 5 2 2-2 18, Carson Freeman 0 0 0-0 0, Kayden Edwards 0 0 2-2 2, Stephen Ison 0 0 0-0 0, Zayne Williams 2 0 0-0 4; Rebounds: (O-15, D-23) 38 (Layne 12, Markel 7, Edwards 5). Assists: 7 (Edwards 4, Mullins 2). Steals: 5 (Markel 3). Blocks: 6 (Layne 4). TOTALS 17 2 6-7 46; Fouls: 11; Fouled out: None.

WHEELERSBURG (3-0): Braylon Rucker 6 0 3-4 15, Hunter Bivens 3 2 0-2 12, Xavier Miller 4 0 0-1 8, Jack Doerr 1 1 0-0 5, Brew Hanzel 0 0 0-0 0, Landon McGraw 3 1 1-1 10, Graer Woodward 2 0 0-0 4; Rebounds: (O-12, D-24) 36 (Rucker 8, McGraw 7, Bivens 7). Assists: 7 (Bivens 5, Rucker 2). Steals: 12 (Rucker 4, Woodward 3). Blocks: 6 (Woodward 3, Miller 2). TOTALS: 17 4 4-8 54; Fouls: 6; Fouled out: None.