By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — Shaun Terry wanted a lot, but to be fair, he gave a lot.

Terry wanted to guard South Point’s leading scorer Caleb Lovely and he wanted to shoot the basketball. Terry got to do both and he came through with big  results as he hit the game-winning shot to lift the Ironton Fighting Tigers over the South Point Pointers 67-66 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Saturday.

Terry scored a season-high 27 points including the winning basket with two seconds left as he got the rebound on a shot by Braden Schreck that was blocked and Ironton trailing 66-65.

“I just knew the clock was winding down and my teammate was driving to the basket. I knew immediately if he missed this shot, I was gonna find a way to score real quick. So, when he went to the basket I found the opportunity to follow behind him,” said Terry.

“He got blocked with about two seconds left, I grabbed (the ball) out of the air and finished for the and one.”

Ironton coach Chris Barnes said Terry asked to guard Lovely and he was aggressive on offense as well.

“He wanted the assignment and he wanted the ball. Lovely is a great player. He got 22 but they were a hard earned 22 points,” said Ironton coach Chris Barnes.

“We were running the play to Shaun because he had the hot hand. He gave it up but he got it back and hit the shot anyway. He had his best offensive game of the season.”

Lovely finished with 22 points with 14 coming in the second half. Carter Smith scored 16 points and Xathan Haney added 11 points.

The Pointers (12-7, 9-4) lost another close game that they had a chance to win. But turnovers at crucial moments proved critical.

South Point led 9-2 to start the game only to have Ironton get a 3-pointer from Bryce Markins and Bailey Thacker and a free throw by Terry to take a 17-12 lead.

Josh Childers scored back-to-back baskets to end the quarter and get the Pointers within 17-16.

South Point used a 3-point play by Lovely to tie the game at 24. Terry and Schreck scored and it was 28-24, but Lovely hit a 3-pointer, sank 3-of-4 foul shots to put the Pointers ahead 33-30. Xathan Haney hit a half court shot at the buzzer and it was 36-30 at the half.

The Pointers held onto their lead throughout the third quarter but Schreck scored just before the buzzer and Ironton (13-7, 9-4) trailed only 48-47.

Haney sank two foul shots that gave the Pointers a 64-59 lead but then Terry made a huge play as he hit a 3-pointer, was fouled and hit the free throw to complete a 4-point play and it was 64-63.

Davon Lewis hit two clutch foul shots with 25 seconds left that put the Pointers up 66-63 only to have Schreck scored with 16 seconds to play and it was a one-point game again.

The Pointers turned the ball over on the inbounds play and Ironton played for the final shot. With time running out, Schreck drove but his shot was blocked. Terry grabbed the ball and scored and was fouled. He missed the free throw but the Pointers were unable to get off a good shot.

“That was gut check time. We needed that,” said Barnes. “These guys could have laid down numerous times tonight but they didn’t. People will say this game is meaningless, but we want to win every game we play.  That’s a lot of   toughness and that’s character and that’s what we’re looking for. I’m proud of them.”

Besides the 27 points, Terry had 3 assists and 5 rebounds. Schreck had 17 points and 3 assists, Thacker 11 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

“Shaun played his best game and Braden and Bailey played great. Bailey had a double-double and Braden got us some tough points inside,” said Barnes.

Saturday’s game was a makeup contest. The two teams will meet again at Ironton on Tuesday.

Ironton     17 13 17 20 = 67

South Point 16 20 12 18 = 66

IRONTON (13-7, 9-4): Shaun Terry 7 2 7-11 27, Bailey Thacker 5 1 1-1 14, Bryce Markins 0 1 0-0 3, Judah Barnes 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Roach 0 0 0-0 0, Markel Cotton 1 0 0-0 2, Braden Schreck 6 0 5-9 17, Ashton Layne 1 0 2-4 4. Totals: 24-56 15-25 67. 3-pt goals: 4-13. Rebounds: O-13 D-18 = 31 (Thacker 13, Layne 8). Assists: 10 (Terry 3, Schreck 3, Thacker 3). Steals: 2. Blocks: 3 (Thacker 3). Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Layne (4th 0:38).

SOUTH POINT (12-7, 9-4): Caleb Lovely 8 0 6-7 22, Carter Smith 5 1 3-3 16, Elijah Wilburn 1 0 2-3 4, Davon Lewis 0 0 2-2 2, Xathan Haney 0 3 2-2 11, Josh Childers 5 0 1-5 11, Ethan Layne 0 0 0-0 0, Jalyn Anderson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-49 16-22 66. 3-pt goals: 4-14. Rebounds: O-5 D-18 = 23. Assists: 11. Steals: 5. Blocks: 2. Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Wilburn (4th 0:32).