Tigers avoid letdown against Hornets, advance to district semifinals

IRONTON — Ironton coach Drew Stevens was worried about a letdown. What he got was a never let up.

After beating Coal Grove twice in the regular season, Stevens was concerned that his team might not be as focused as it should be.

Hey coach. Breathe easy. Your boys have your back.

Ironton forced 13 first half turnovers and began the game with a 14-0 run en route to a 62-24 win over the Hornets in the Division 5 District quarterfinals.

Ironton (20-2) led 16-4 after the first quarter, 35-7 at the half and generated a running clock in the second half.

“That’s the best half of defense we’ve played all season and Coal Grove has a good basketball team,” said Stevens.

“I was worried because it was a new season. I didn’t want to come in against a team we’ve beaten twice and have that letdown. I thought we took (Coal Grove) out of what they wanted to do tonight.”

Ironton will now play Portsmouth at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday at the Ohio University Convocation Center.

“We split with them. We’ve seen them twice. We’re not playing someone you get in the film room and see what these guys do. We know what they do and they know what we’re going to do,” said Stevens.

Brycen Mullins scored 8 points in the first quarter including a pair of 3-pointers as Ironton bolted to a 14-0 lead.

Bronson guy sank a free throw at the three minute mark for Coal Grove’s first point and Caden Turner made a 3-pointer and it was 14-4.

Mullins followed up a missed shot  and it was 16-4.

Mullins started the second quarter with another 3-pointer and he drilled a second trifecta with one second on the clock for a 35-7 halftime lead as Ironton held Coal Grove to a 3-pointer by Rylan Smith at the 5;57 mark.

A layup by Maddix Markel gave Ironton a 39-9 lead and a 3-pointer by Ashton Layne created the running clock as the Fighting Tigers built a 46-11 cushion.

Ironton’s biggest lead was 62-22 on a layup by Braydon Baker with 2:15 to play.

“I said before the game, don’t let this be our last game. We have seven (tournament) games. It’s down to six. No one is ready for it to end. But if it ends because you win everything, it’s great,” said Stevens.

Mullins scored 18 and Layne had 17 to lead the Fighting Tigers.

Ironton shot 25 of 59 from the field while holding Coal Grove to 10 for 41.

Coal Grove 4 3 13 4 = 24

Ironton 16 19 18 9 = 62

COAL GROVE (6-16): Bronson Guy 1 11-2 6, Peyton 0 0 0-0 0, Rylan Smith 0 1 0-0 3, Braydon Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Chance Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, Braxton Patrick 0 0 0-0 0, Braden Schug 0 0 0-0 0, James Dome 2 0 0-0 4, Caden Turners 0 1 0-2 3, Truitt Fields 1 0 0-0 2, Carson Hicks 0 0 0-0 0, Waylon Blakeman 0 0 0-0 0, Gauge Craft 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10-41 1-4 24. 3-pt goals: 3-19. Rebounds: 20 (Hankins 5). Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (20-2): Wyatt Wolfe 0 0 0-0 0, Maddix Markel 4 0 0-0 8, Carson Blankenship 0 0 0-0 0, Braydon Baker 1 0 0-0 2, Ashton Layne 4 1 6-11 17, Brycen Mullins 3 4 0-2 18, Tyson Harvey 0 0 0-0 0, Carson Freeman 0 0 0-0 0, Kayden Edwards 3 0 0-0 6, Brian Kidd 2 0 1-1 5, Braiden Linn 0 0 0-0 0, Stephen Ison 0 0 0-0 0, Zayne Williams 2 0 0-0 4, Jase Williams 0 0 0-0 0, Dawson Philyaw 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-59 7-14 62. 3-pt goals: 5-20. Rebounds: 36 (Layne 8). Fouls: 2. Fouled out: None.