Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

JACKSON — There was a 1960s group called the Crystals who sang “Da Do Run Run.” It was a fast-paced, uplifting tune.

The Fairland Dragons did their own cover of the song Monday as they used that same tempo to run past the Belpre Eagles in the Division III sectional tournament semifinals.

“I thought we ran the floor really well in transition. We finished fairly well and we did a good job of being active,” said Fairland coach Nathan Speed.

Fairland (11-11) will now play Oak Hill at 6 p.m. Friday in the sectional finals.

Out front leading the running game was Evan Maddox with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

The Dragons had four players in double figures. Besides Maddox, Luke Phillips scored 13 points while Tyler Campbell and Thayer Flynn had 10 points each.

Nick Therriault had 22 points and Tavian Miller 10 for Belpre (10-13).

The score was 5-5 on layup by Miller at 5:28 of the first quarter. But Tyler Campbell’s layup and Nathan Campbell 3-pointer gave Fairland a lead they never relinquished at 10-5 at 4:54 mark.

Fairland went on 9-0 run to end first quarter including a tip-in by Maddox at the buzzer and it was 19-7.

Therriault’s short jumper had Belpre down 29-16 with 1:17 left in the half, but the Dragons got a 3-pointer by Nathan Campbell at the buzzer and the lead was 34-18 at the break.

A 3-pointer by Therriault cut the spread to 36-23 at the 5:12 mark of the third quarter, but a foul shot by Tyler Campbell, a steal and layup by Phillips and a layup by Flynn opened up a 41-23 cushion.

Maddox’ hit a 17-footer only to have Hayden Plummer made a triple for Belpre and it was 43-29 at the end of the third quarter.

But Belpre could get no closer than 13 points the rest of the game including the final score. Fairland led by as much as 59-40 on a foul shot by Phillips with 2:33 to play.

Belpre 7 11 11 20 = 49

Fairland 19 15 9 19 = 62

BELPRE (10-13): Nick Therriault 6 1 7-8 22. Sam Petty 0 0 0-0 0, Logan Plummer 0 0 -0 0, Brennen Ferrell 2 0 2-4 6, Tavian Miller 2 2 0-2 10, Deijon Bedgood 0 0 2-4 2, Nathan Mason 0 0 1-2 1, Hayden Plummer 1 2 0-0 8. Totals: 16-36 12-20 49. 3-point goals: 5-15. Rebounds: 6-O, 16-D = 22 (Therriault 6, Ferrell 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 6. Assists: 3. Steals: 3 (Miller 2). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 10. Fouled out; None.

FAIRLAND (11-11): Chance Short 0 2 2-2 8, Luke Phillips 5 0 3-7 13, Nathan Campbell 1 1 0-0 5, Evan Maddox 4 1 0-0 11, Tyler Campbell 4 0 2-4 10, Thayer Flynn 4 2-2 10, Jacob Warner 0 1 0-0 3, Shane Stevens 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 24-44 9-15 62. 3-point goals: 5-14. Rebounds: 10-O, 18-D = 28 (N. Campbell 7, Maddox 5). Assists: 9 (Maddox 5, N. Campbell 3). Steals: 8 (Short 3, Phillips 2, Maddox 2). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.