By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

So, you didn’t shoot that well, you were sluggish, you didn’t make free throws and you had a season high turnovers.

What’s that? You won?

Despite not playing very well, the Ironton Fighting Tigers found a way to edge the upset-minded Chesapeake Panthers 52-49 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.

“These guys just don’t quit and they find a way to win,” said Ironton coach Chris Barnes. “We didn’t have much energy, we didn’t shoot well and we had way too many turnovers. We average about 10 turnovers a game. At halftime we had 10. We just didn’t play well today and their offense and defense had something to do with it.”

Ironton (10-4, 7-2) went on a 7-0 run to begin the game only to have Chesapeake get within 15-13. Landen Wilson then made two straight layups and Ironton led 19-13 to end the quarter.

Chesapeake (7-10, 4-6) rallied to take a 25-23 lead on a layup by Dannie Maynard 2:20 left in the half. The game was tied at 25-all when Braden Schreck hit an 17-foot baseline jumper and Wilson’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer put Ironton up 28-25.

Barnes said Chesapeake’s deliberate style of play and zone defenses are hard to solve unless you can control the tempo.

“It forces you to use play. As a coach, other than telling them to just find open gaps, you just have to make plays and make shots,” said Barnes.

“If you don’t make shots, you can’t run so they could control the tempo.

The Panthers took a 32-30 lead on a jumper by Braxton Oldaker but Wilson’s trifecta and Shaun Terry’s layup helped Ironton take a 36-34 lead.

Chesapeake built a 47-42 lead on a layup by Philip Thacker with 1:49 to play, but Ironton came back to take a 49-47 lead on a 3-pointer by Terry, a steal and layup by Schreck, and then White got a steal, was fouled and missed the shot but got the rebound and made the putback with 47 seconds left.

Schreck was fouled with two seconds to play and made the second of two free throws as Ironton went up 50-49.

The Panthers threw the ball away on an inbound play and White was fouled with two-tenths of a second left. He made both free throws to seal the win.

“Landen had a big game. He’s been shooting the ball well in practice. But we had three guys in double figures and we got some big steals late from Schreck and Ethan,” said Barnes.

“Today, we missed four or five tree throws in a row and I thought that’s going to kill us. And, we didn’t shoot the ball well at all after the first quarter,” said Barnes.

“On their offensive end, that style they run puts you to sleep. In the first quarter, we should have been up double digits and then that makes them have to change their style.”

Wilson had 16 points, Terry scored 15 — 10 in the first half — and Schreck had 11.

Maynard scored a game-high 19 for the Panthers.

Ironton has a showdown at South Point on Friday. Ironton has two losses in the league and the Pointers have just one.

“All we needed to do was win and we did. If we don’t win this game, Friday’s game means nothing,” said Barnes. “We’re going to have to play a lot better.”

Chesapeake    13 12 9 15 = 49

Ironton     19 9 8 16 = 52

CHESAPEAKE (7-10, 4-6): Caleb Cox 1 3 0-0 11, Kaden Perkins 2 1 2-2 9, Dannie Maynard 5 2 3-3 19, Braxton Oldaker 1 0 0-2 2, Philip Thacker 3 0 0-0 6, Kaiden Harris 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Skeens 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-41 5-7 49. 3-pt goals: 6-12. Rebounds: 4-O, 13-D = 17 (Maynard 4, Thacker 3, Oldaker 3). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 9. Steals: 10 (Maynard 3). Turnovers: 13.  Fouls: 12. Fouled out: Thacker (0:02 4th).

IRONTON (10-4, 7-2): Lincoln Barnes 0 0 1-2 1, Shaun Terry 3 3 0-0 15, Landen Wilson 2 4 0-0 16, Braden Schreck 5 0 1-5 11, Ethan White 2 1 2-5 9, Amari Felder 0 0 0-0 0, Tayden Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Roach 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-34 4-12 52. 3-pt goals: 8-14. Rebounds: 7-O, 17-D = 34 (White 8, Banes 6, Schreck 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 2. Assists: 12 (Wilson 45, Terry 3, Schreck 3). Steals: 5 (Terry 2). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.