Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WAVERLY — It’s déjà vu all over again.

The Ironton Fighting Tigers were on the verge of another win once again only to let it slip through their fingers.

Battling back a from a 15-point deficit, Ironton tied the game and then hit a brick wall the final 3:52 of the game in a 51-39 loss to the Waverly Tigers Tuesday.

“It seems like a recurring theme. We have those spurts when we don’t play well or we give some easy points. We played well defensively except for a quick spurt and that was the difference,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

Desmond Young had 12 points and eight rebounds to lead Ironton (1-19).

Pierce Knisley scored 20 points and Jake Henderson had 16 for Waverly (8-12).

“Defensively the guys gave a great effort to play a very physical game. If it wasn’t for Desmond’s individual effort on offense, we wouldn’t have been in the game in the second half,” said LaFon.

Knisley and Aaron Heibel hit 3-pointers to stake Waverly to a 6-0 lead. Marques Davis finally made a layup at the 3:02 mark to put Ironton on the scoreboard.

Phillip Kratzenberg had a layup and a short jumper with 19 seconds left as Ironton tied the game at 6-6.

In the second quarter, Ironton took an 8-6 lead on a layup by Young and it was 11-11 after a layup by Kratzenberg.

Henderson made a layup and hit a 3-pointer and Knisley followed with his third triple of the half and Waverly led 16-11.

Joe Bowling’s putback for Ironton ended the run but Knisley hit a 13-footer and a layup at the buzzer and Waverly led 23-13 at the break.

Waverly opened up a 32-17 lead, but Ironton came to life and went on a 14-5 run capped by Tristan Cox’ layup with 30 seconds left to get within 37-31 at the end of the third quarter.

Young hit two layups to start the fourth quarter as Ironton cut the deficit to 37-35 with five minutes to play.

A minute later, Bowling converted both ends of a one-and-one to tie the game, but Knisley knocked down a 3-pointer to ignite a 14-2 run as Waverly pulled away to the win.

Ironton 6 7 18 8 = 39

Waverly 6 17 14 14 = 51

IRONTON (1-18): Tristan Cox 2 1 0-0 7, Joe Bowling 2 0 2-5 6, Phillip Kratzenberg 3 0 0-0 6, Desmond Young 6 0 0-5 12, Richard Crockrel 0 0 0-0 0, Nate Garred 1 0 0-0 2, Marques Davis 1 0 2-4 4, Hunter Klaiber 0 0 2-2 2, Charles Scott 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16-46 6-16 39. 3-point goals: 1-9. Rebounds: 12-O, 15-D = 27 (Young 8, Cox 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 8 (Cox 3, Crockrel 2). Steals: 12 (Bowling 6). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: Cox (4th 0:36).

WAVERLY (7-12): Eric Rinehart 3 0 2-2 8, Daniel Heffner 1 0 2-2 4, Pierce Knisley 4 4 0-2 20, Kyle Browne 0 0 0-0 0, Aaron Heibel 0 1 0-0 3, Amin Gilbert 0 0 0-0 0, Jake Henderson 3 3 1-2 16, Joe Henderson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-44 5-8 51. 3-point goals: 8-26. Rebounds: 11-O, 20-D = 31 (Rinehart 10, Heffner 5). Team/deaball rebounds: 6. Assists: 4. Steals: 3. Turnovers: 19. Fouls: 15.Fouled out: None.