By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

FLATWOODS, Ky. — A big run brought a big win.

Ironton turned a four-point halftime lead into a rout with a 33-5 run over the final 11 minutes of the game as the Fighting Tigers beat the Russell Red Devils 63-36 Saturday.

‘We had a lot of contributions by a lot of different people. Our kids held themselves together the first half and that’s what allowed them to make that unbelievable run,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

Trey Fletcher had 18 points and five rebounds to lead the Ironton offense. Zac Carter finished with 17 points — 12 in the second half on 6 of 9 shooting. He was just one of 6 the first half.

“All three games Trey’s had a double-double,” LaFon said. “Zac wasn’t sure if he should keep shooting. I told him he’s a shooter and no one shoots 85 percent. I told him his half would be the second half.”

Ironton opened up a 15-4 lead late in the first quarter after a putback by Travis Elliott and a free throw by Malcolm Morton.

A layup by Nick Culbertson gave Ironton its biggest lead of the half at 20-8, but Grant McKenzie hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left on the clock that got Russell within 20-11.

Carter’s layup to start the second quarter put Ironton up by 11 only to have Austin Hunt convert a 3-point play and then add a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 23-27.

Fletcher made two layups as Ironton opened up a 27-19 lead only to have a technical foul turn the momentum.

Hunt hit one of two shots and then added another free throws moments later. Logan Dehoff’s layup just before the buzzer got Russell within 27-23 at the break.

Russell — coming off an upset of previously unbeaten Bath County — regained the lead at 31-30 on a 15-footer by Brandon Boyd with 4:58 left in the third quarter.

But Ironton took over with 17 unanswered points to end the quarter.

Morton quickly answered with a 3-pointer, Josh Murphy had a putback, Fletcher made a layup and Carter hit two straight shots inside as Ironton went up 41-31 with 1:28 on the clock.

Carter hit a 17-footer, followed up his own miss and then drove for a layup at the buzzer and it was 47-31.

Fletcher made two more layups to begin the fourth quarter as the lead went to 51-31. Hunt finally ended the run with a foul shot but Morton hit a free throw, Culbertson two more layups and Carter a basket to complete a 28-1 run.

Culbertson finished with 10 points off the bench while Elliott grabbed 12 rebounds — five on offense — and Murphy had seven rebounds. Morton had eight assists and three steals.

Hunt scored 11 and Justin Davidson 10 for Russell (4-3).

Ironton 20 7 20 16 = 63

Russell 11 12 8 5 = 36

IRONTON (3-0): Malcolm Morton 0 1 2-4 5, Travis Elliott 2 0 1-2 5, Zac Carter 7 0 3-4 17, Trey Fletcher 8 0 2-4 18, Josh Murphy 2 0 1-3 5, Josh Glover 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Culbertson 5 0 0-0 10, Nolan Johnson 1 0 1-2 3, Tanner Schweickart 0 0 0-0 0, Geoff Delawder 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 26-51 10-19 63. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 1-6. Rebounds: 13 offense, 22 defense = 35 (Elliott 12, Murphy 7). Team rebounds: 2. Assists: 13 (Morton 8, Elliott 4). Steals: 11 (Carter 4, Morton 3, Elliott 3). Turnovers: 6.

RUSSELL (4-3): Shaquan Hayes 1 0 0-3 2, Kyle Skaggs 1 0 0-0 2, Grant McKenzie 1 1 0-1 5, Austin Hunt 2 1 4-7 11, Justin Davidson 5 0 0-1 10, Brandon Boyd 1 0 0-0 2, Logan Dehoff 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Porter 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Parsley 1 0 0-0 2, Zach Bailey 0 0 0-0 0, J.D. Pridemore 0 0 0-0 0, Preston Herring 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-39 4-12 36. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Hunt (4th 4:42). 3-point goals: 2-9. Rebounds: 4 offense, 15 defense = 19 (Hunt 5, McKenzie 4). Team rebounds: 3. Assists: 3 (Hayes 2). Steals: 2. Turnovers: 16.