Markel's double-double helps Ironton survive Trojans upset bid

ATHENS — In a tournament, the idea is to survive and move on.

The Ironton Fighting Tigers proved they were survivors.

The top-seeded Fighting Tigers were facing their rivals in the Division 5 district semifinals on Tuesday at the Ohio University Convocation Center.

The rival Portsmouth Trojans — who gave Ironton one of their two losses on the season — took Ironton to the wire but the Fighting Tigers held on for. 49-46 win.

Ironton (21-2) will now play Eastern Brown at 2 p.m. Saturday in the district final.

The Tigers were led by Maddix Markel scratched out a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Ashton Layne went for 17 points and 6 rebounds as Ironton's only scorers to hit double figures.

"Before we left the gym, (Maddix) looked at me and said coach, I got you," said Ironton coach Drew Stevens. "I said we need one. Let's play Saturday. It's been a long time since we won one up here."

Portsmouth had three players reach double figures in the loss, with Connie Thomas leading them with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Logan Adkins finished with 14 and Daequan Woods had 10.

Ironton struggled to get the ball in the net, shooting just 24% from the field in the first half.

"We struggled in a lot of areas tonight," said Stevens "Being up here, you get caught up in the moment and I've tried to emphasize to them that it's just another game. But you can say that until you get up here and walk in."

"But you know, we got a win and that's all that matters at this moment."

The Fighting Tigers got their offense in gear in the third quarter, grabbing the lead back within the first minute.

A 3-pointer from Carson Freeman and a free throw from Layne put Ironton ahead 26-23.

Ironton would build its lead to its largest of the night of seven with a couple run out layups from Layne, then a spin-around jumper from Markel at the free throw line to make the score 34-27 with 1:50 remaining in the third.

Portsmouth would avoid letting the game slip away and clawed back in the waning moments of the third.

Woods knocked down a triple off a kick out pass from Adkins and then Adkins scored at the buzzer off an outlet pass from Joe Greene to make score 36-35 in favor of Ironton heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth, the Trojans would take the lead following a driving layup and a pair of free throws from Adkins to give Portsmouth a 39-38 lead with 6:52 remaining.

But Layne would answer on the other end with a driving score to give Ironton the lead for good just 18 seconds later.

Thomas got Portsmouth back to within 44-43 on a putback underneath with 3:34 left.

Ironton then built up a lead with 4 straight points to hold a 48-43 lead with under a minute remaining.

The Trojans again looked for some last second heroics as Woods drilled a stepback 3-pointer with 19 seconds showing on the clock to make the score 48-46.

But Brycen Mullins sank one or two free throws to give Ironton a 3-point lead with 14 seconds remaining.

Portsmouth got a final possession and a chance to send the game into an extra frame. But the 3-point shot from Woods was off the mark and Ironton had survived.

Portsmouth 13   10   12   11 = 46

Ironton        11   11   14   12  =  49

PORTSMOUTH (15-10): Daequan Woods 2 2 0-0 10, Logan Adkins 3 2 2-2 14, Mekhi Berry 0 0 0-0 0, Jay Lofton 0 0 0-0 0, Connie Thomas 6 1 2-2 17, Olynshay McKinley 2 0 1-2 5, Joe Greene 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 5 5-6 46. Rebounds: (11-O, 17-D) 28 (McKinley 11, Woods 6, Thomas 5). Assists: 4 (Woods 2). Steals: 5 (Adkins 2, Greene 2). Blocks: 1 (Lofton). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (21-2): Maddix Markel 7 1 2-2 19, Ashton Layne 5 0 7-10 17, Brycen Mullins 0 2 2-4 8, Carson Freeman 0 1 0-0 3, Kayden Edwards 0 0 0-2 0, Steven Ison 1 0 0-0 2, Zayne Williams 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 4 11-18 49. Rebounds: (10-O, 17-D) 27. (Markel 10, Layne 6). Assists: 5 (Mullins 2, Freeman 2). Steal: 9 (Willaims 3, Layne 2, Mullins 2). Blocks: 3 (Layne 3). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 6. Fouled out: None.