By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FLATWOOD, Ky. — When you’re hot, you’re hot. When you’re not, you’re not.

The Russell Red Devils were hot from behind the 3-point line and the Ironton Fighting Tigers were ice cold. The result was a 72-57 Russell win on Saturday.

The Red Devils were 10-of-18 from behind the arc for 56 percent while Ironton was a meager 1-of-18 for .056 percent.

“They were red-hot from 3 and we were horrible coming,” said Ironton coach Chris Barnes.

“They have not been a great 3-point shooting team. Tonight they hit 10 or 12. We hit one and it Braden’s three-quarter shot right before the half. They scored 30 points from 3 and we scored 3. That’s the difference in the ballgame.”

Tatum Fleming hit a couple of 3-pointers as Russell took a 10-2 lead to start the game and Elijah Neal drilled 3 more from long-distance and the lead was 23-8 at the end of the quarter.

But Ashton Layne made back-to-back layups, Markel Cotton and Tyler Roach scored inside and Shaun Terry had a layup and 15-footer to get Ironton within 31-21.

Caleb Rimmer converted a 3-point play as Russell went up 34-21, but Terry hit a 17-footer and then came up with a steal and layup. Braden Schreck hit a 15-footer and Bailey Thacker’s layup got Ironton within 36-29.

Schreck then grabbed a rebound and threw a bullet into the basket from three-quarter court away as Ironton cut the spread to 36-32 at the break.

Schreck’s outback at the 6:54 mark of the third quarter tied the game at 36-all. Gabe Pridemore answered with a 3-pointer as Russell took the lead for good.

Ironton was down 51-45 at the end of the third quarter and the Red Devils were up 57-49 and then scored 11 unanswered points and it was 68-49.

“We fought back to tie it, but then went cold and missed about seven shots in a row and they were able to score and that was the ballgame,” said Barnes.

“We battled and fought so hard to get back in the game that when we tied it, and then we just kind of ran out of gas. We just couldn’t hit a shot. It was like our energy just died,.”

Terry scored 18 points to lead Ironton (7-2) with Schreck scoring 12. Thacker and Layne had 7 rebounds each.

Russell (7-4) had 4 players in double figures as Fleming scored 19, Neal 18, Rimmer 17 and Pridemore 11.

Ironton 8 24 13 12 = 57

Russell 23 13 15 21 = 72

IRONTON (7-2): Shaun Terry 9 0 0-0 18, Braden Schreck 4 1 1-2 12, Ashton Layne 4 0 1-1 9, Bailey Thacker 3 0 0-0 6, Markel Cotton 3 0 0-0 6, Maddix Markel 1 0 0-0 2, Bryce Markins 0 0 0-0 0, Noah Patterson 1 0 0-0 2, Tyler Roach 1 0 0-0 2, Braylon Sturgill 0 0 0-0 0, Judah Barnes 0 0 0-0 0, Braylon Sturgill 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-64 2-3 57. 3-pt goals: 1-18. Rebounds: O-13, D-17 = 30 (Thacker 7, Layne 5). Assists: 8 (Terry 2, Schreck 2, Roach 2). Steals: 4 (Terry 2, Schreck 2). Blocks: 4 (Layne 2). Turnovers: 6. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

RUSSELL (7-4): Noah Quinn 2 0 1-2 5, Tatum Fleming 5 3 0-0 19, Elijah Neel 3 4 0-0 18, Caleb Rimmer 7 0 3-3 17, Gabe Pridemore 1 3 0-0 11, Joe Kaczmarcyk 0 0 0-0 0, Quentin Hewlett 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Cordial 1 0 0-0 2, Shae Burnham 0 0 0-0 0, Ryder Burgess 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 29-54 4-5 72. 3-pt goals: 10-18. Rebounds: O-4 D-19 = 23. Assists: 17. Steals: 4. Blocks: 3. Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 5. Fouled out: None.