Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

It was the late, great Frank Sinatra who sang, “The Second Time Around.”
The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers did their own version of “The Second Time Around” with a second half performance completely opposite of the first half.
Ironton’s strong second half turned a 25-14 halftime lead into a 63-37 Ohio valley Conference win on Monday.
“We played much better the second 16 minutes. We were fun to watch, fun to coach,” said Ironton coach Doug Graham.
“We played good defense. We got the ball up the floor and attacked the basket.”
Ironton (5-1, 3-1) top scorers — Sydney Webb and Lexie Arden — managed just 10 points between them on 5-of-15 shooting. The Lady Tigers also had nine turnovers in the first half with seven coming in the second quarter.
Rock Hill (3-3, 1-3) fell behind 7-2 but battled back to tie the game 7-7 on a layup by Maddie Scott with 2:52 left in the first quarter.
Lexi Wise made a layup at the 2:38 mark that put Ironton up for good at 9-7 and Arden hit a 15-footer with 23 seconds on the clock and it was 11-7.
Webb, Arden, Wise and Taiya Hamlet all hit baskets and Wise a free throw to cap a 13-0 run and it was 20-7 with 3:49 left in the half.

Rock Hill’s Anna Darby went 3-of-4 at the foul line to stop the run but a trifecta by Riley Schreck put Ironton up 25-12 before a layup by Maykayla Scott got the Redwomen within 25-14 at the break.
“I thought we settled a whole lot. The girls picked it up in the second half. I enjoyed watching them play,” said Graham.
Ironton did pick it up as the defense forced 10 turnovers as the Lady fighting Tigers outscored Rock Hill 23-14. Arden scored 11 points in the quarter including a triple at the buzzer for a 48-28 lead.
Taylor Hall hit two foul shots to begin the fourth quarter for Rock Hill but Arden made a 10-fotoer and Alyssa Lewis scored 4 straight points and the lead was 54-30
After a 3-pointer by Jill Hairston for Rock Hill, Haylee Stevens made a layup and Webb converted a 3-point play and it was 59-35 with 3:13 to go.
One of the key factors in the Ironton win came on the boards. Ironton held a 25-23 rebounding advantage and limited the Redwomen to just five offensive boards.
“That’s a credit to all the girls. They got in there and mixed it up. They had a concerned effort to box them out and keep second and third opportunities limited,” said Graham.
Arden finished with as game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. Wise had an impressive all-around game with 13 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 7 steals. Webb and Lewis added 9 points each.
Darby paced the Redowmen with 15 points and 7 rebounds with Hairston adding 9 points and Maddie Scott 5 rebounds.
Ironton faces Raceland at 4:45 p.m. Friday in The Ironton Classic. Rock Hill plays in the Chesapeake “Lady Peake Holiday Tournament” Wednesday and Thursday.
Rock Hill    7    7    14    9    =    37
Ironton       11    14    23    15    =    63
ROCK HILL (3-3, 1-3): Anna Darby 6 0 3-4 15, Jill Hairston 3 1 0-0 9, Maddie Scott 2 0 1-2 5, Kyleigh Noel 1 0 0-0 2, Taylor Hall 0 0 2-2 2, Caitlynn Meadows 0 0 0-0 0, Abbi Kline 0 0 0-0 0, Samantha Stamper 0 0 0-0 0, Maykayla Scott 2 0 0-2 4. Totals: 15-38 6-9 37. 3-point goals: 1-8. Rebounds: 5-O, 18-D = 23 (Darby 7, Mad. Scott 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 6. Assists: 4. Steals: 4 (Darby 2). Turnovers: 23. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
IRONTON (5-1, 3-1): Sydney Webb 4 0 1-1 9, Lexi Wise 5 0 3-7 13, Alyssa Lewis 2 1 2-2 9, Lexie Arden 8 1 2-2 21, Katie Boyer 1 0 0-0 2, Riley Schreck 1 1 0-0 5, Taiya Hamlet 1 0 0-0 2, Haylee Stevens 1 0 0-2 2. Totals: 26-55 8-14 63. 3-point goals: 3-12. Rebounds: 13-O, 22-D = 35 (Arden 10, Wise 9). Team/deadball rebounds: 8. Assists: 12. (Wise 8, Arden 2, Webb 2). Steals: 13 (Wise 7, Lewis 2, Webb 2). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.