By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Tyler Roach had only one basket in Saturday’s game, but it was the biggest basket of the game.

Roach’s only basket was a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining that gave the Ironton Fighting Tigers a 48-47 win over the upset-minded Rock Hill Redmen in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

After playing a very athletic Expression Prep on Friday night and having a post-game senior night celebration. Ironton had to turn around to play the Redmen in a 3 p.m. game and head coach Chris Barnes admitted his team wasn’t mentally ready to go.

“We couldn’t score. We just couldn’t score. They literally had five guys in the lane and we couldn’t hit anything,” said Barnes. “Playing that late game and being senior night, we were just not awake. Give them credit. They played hard. They jumped on us.”

Rock Hill opened the game by going on a 20-0 run. Ironton finally got a basket by Braden Schreck and it was 20-2 at the end of the quarter.

Rylan Barker hit three 3-pointers and Stephen Ison had 8 points including a pair of 3-pointers  while Kelan Davidson had 3 points to help the Redmen get off to the fast start.

The Redmen were up 26-11 at the half as Barker scored 4 points and Yaden Bailey added a basket

Schreck had 4points, Maddix Markel 3 and Braylon Sturgill hit a basket for Ironton in the second quarter.

“The first quarter they didn’t miss,” Barnes said of the Redmen. “We needed someone who could give us some energy. We were flat. Carson Freeman gave us major energy. Rock Hill hasn’t played since Monday and they came with a lot of effort and energy. They came to win.”

Ironton (14-7, 10-4) got its offense going in the third quarter as Schreck scored 10 points, Bryce Markins hit a pair of 3-pointers and Freeman hit a triple as they cut the deficit to 43-33.

“Braden is still playing on that sore foot and he looked like it today. Markel Cotton didn’t play much. He was sick as could be,” said Barnes. “That was a trap game. It didn’t mean anything.”

Ironton outscored Rock Hill 15-4 in the fourth quarter as Schreck scored 10 points including a 3-pointer while Roach had 5 points including the game-winner.

Rock Hill scored to go up 47-45 and Ironton got a quick inbounds pass down the floor to Roach who pulled up and hit the trifecta with 2.1 seconds left.

On the inbounds play, Maddix Markel was able to knock the ball away and the teams scrambled for the ball as time ran out.

“You can call a timeout or not call a timeout. I saw T-Roach in transition and if you call timeout you’re not going to get a wide open layup or three like that,” said Barnes.

“To (Roach’s) credit, he’d missed a couple of those the last couple of games, but he had the guts to shoot it and he made it. God bless him.”

Schreck was the only Ironton player in double figures as he scored a game-high 26 points. The Fighting Tigers were 14 of 41 from the field for 34 percent and just 5 of 20 from 3-point range for 25 percent.

Rock Hill (6-15, 2-12) had three players in double figures as Barker scored 13, Davidson 12 points and Ison 11 points.

The Redmen were 18 of 40 from the field for 45 percent and 7 of 19 from behind the arc for 37 percent.

Rock Hill    20 6 17 4 = 47

Ironton  2 9 22 15 = 48

ROCK HILL (6-15, 2-12): Drew Schug 0 0 0-0 0, Kelan Davidson 3 0 4-4 12, Rylan Barker 2 3 0-0 13, Stephen Ison 1 2 0-0 11, Yaden Bailey 3 1 0-0 9, Izaak Cox 1 0 0-0 2, Mayson Black 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-40 4-5 47. 3-pt goals: 7-19. Rebounds: 9-O 19-D = 28. Assists: 11. Steals: 4. Turnovers: 19. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (14-7, 10-4): Ashton Layne 0 0 3-4 3, Braylon Sturgill 1 0 0-0 2, Carson Freeman 0 1 0-0 3, Bryce Markins 0 2 0-0 6, 0 1 2-2 5, Markel Cotton 0 0 0-0 0, Maddix Markel 1 0 1-2 3, Braden Schreck 7 1 9-13 26. Totals: 14-41 15-21 48 3-pt goals: 5-20. Rebounds: 7-O 10-D = 17 (Schreck 6, Markel 4, Freeman 3). Assists: 7 (Schreck 4, Freeman 2). Steals: 10 (Roach 3, Markel 2, Freeman 2). Blocks: 2 (Layne 2). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.