2024-25 Basketball Preview: Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers

Haven’t I seen you before?

As a matter of fact, fans have seen almost all of them before when looking at the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers basketball team.

Ironton returns all five starters along with the top three bench players as they look to utilize their experience to improve on last season’s 5-18 record.

“We have our top seven players back so we’re definitely experienced,” said Ironton coach Jeremy Williams.

Heading up the returnees are 5-foot-7 senior Emerson White and 5-7 senior Lola Hankins. White averaged 15.5 points a game and 6 rebounds a game last season as she was named to the All-District second team and honorable mention All-Ohio.

Hankins averaged 11.5 points a game but was forced to sit out the second half of the season due to transfer rules.

“We kind of struggled when we lost Lola. We had a winning record at the time she was forced to sit out,” said Williams. “When she went out, we struggled because teams were able to focus just on Emerson. She got a lot of box-and-ones and double teams.”

Running the offense is 5-10 senior point guard Peyton Deer who is a three-year starter and averaged 4 assists and 2 steals a game. Inside is 5-9 junior Lexi McCall who averaged 7 rebounds a game. The other starter is 5-8 junior Addison Neal who was counted on for her rebounding.

When Hankins was forced to sit, 5-6 junior Addison Murray took over that starting spot. And 5-5 junior guard Chloie Patterson is another option.

“We're looking for Peyton to step up and become a double digit scorer. Addi Neal is vastly improved. She’s shooting the ball better. And Lexi McCall just plays so hard. She can get eight to 10 points any night,” said Williams. “Chloie logged a lot of minutes last season. And we’ve added some freshmen who we hope will help.”

One of the freshmen is 5-10 Jolee Hankins, Lola’s sister, who is a good scorer plus her size will help with rebounding.

“We not super tall or super big, but we make up for it with effort and positioning,” said Williams. “We’ve been team rebounding. We’ve been doing that really well. Lexi and Addi do most of the rebounding but the others know they need to help out. Hopefully, that trend continues well.”

While the offense looks to improve and get a balance of contributions, Williams said it is the defense that has become this team’s trademark.

“We usually defend really well. We would say if we could get to 36 points we had a chance to win,” said Williams. “We got really good athletic girls. We can switch one through five and we usually do. Everyone guards really well. They rotate well. Something they have been doing really well in practice and scrimmages is talking. That’s a big thing to have communication on the defensive end.”

The biggest concern for Williams is a difficult schedule and trying to keep the intensity and focus every night.

“Our schedule is pretty tough. We’ve got North Adams who was in the regionals last year. We have (Portsmouth) West twice who have been in the regionals the last year, Fairland and Portsmouth who were both in the Final Four and bring back a ton,” said Williams.

“We play Hurricane out of West Virginia which is a big school. Our schedule is pretty daunting. There’s really not an off-night because the league is really competitive top to bottom. There’s no off nights and you have to bring that same.

“That’s the biggest thing, trying to meet that every night. You have to have that mentality to compete because there’s no off-night."

In the Ohio Valley Conference, Williams said the same two teams who ended on top last season are the favorites once again with Fairland and Portsmouth.

“The top two are ahead of everybody else. Our goal is to close that gap and try to get to that level. You have two teams in our conference who made the Final Four in two different divisions and they have a chance to do it again this year. Well, only one of them can make it because they’re in the same division this year. Trying to play up to their level will be really tough,” said Williams.

Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers

2024-25 Basketball Roster

No. Player Pos. Ht. Gr.

  1 Peyton Deer PG 5-10 Sr.

  2 Trinity Sharp G 5-03 Sr.

  3 Lola Hankins G 5–07 Sr.

  4 Addison Neal F 5-08 Jr.

  5 Lexi McCall C 5-09 Jr.

10 Ava Roach F 5-07 Fr.

11 Ariyah Freeman G 5-01 Sr.

12 Mylee Fraley G 5-04 Sr.

13 Jolee Hankins F 5-10 Fr.

14 Lauren Munion F/C 5-08 Fr.

15 Paidynn Royal G 5-04 Fr.

20 Addison Murray F 5-06 Jr.

22 Chloie Patterson F/G 5-05 Jr.

23 Emerson White G 5-07 Sr.

24 Lexi Cochran G 5-04 So.

32 Tiyeh Brown F 5-08 So

Head coach: Jeremy Williams

Assistant coaches: Trey Fletcher, Dave Hankins, Brian Deer, Lexi Wise, Trevor Hacker

2024-25 Basketball Schedule

November

26 SYMMES VALLEY (W, 71-44)

30 at Portsmouth# (L, 20-60)

December

  3 GALLIPOLIS# (W, 44-43)

  6 at Rock Hill# 7:30

13 at Fairland# 7:00

17 at South Point# 7:30

20 PORTS. NOTRE DAME 12:00

21 PORTSMOUTH WEST 12:00

26 RACINE SOUTHERN 1:00

28 CHESAPEAKE# 7:00

January

  3 COAL GROVE# 7:00

  4 at Wheelerburg 7:00

  7 at Hurricane, W.Va. 7:00

11 NORTH ADAMS 3:30

16 GALLIPOLIS# 7:00

18 at Portsmouth West TBA

23 PORTSMOUTH# 7:00

27 FAIRLAND# 7:00

30 SOUTH POINT# 7:00

February

   3 at Chesapeake# 7:30

   6 at Coal Grove# 7:00

#-Denotes OVC game