By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WAVERLY — If the Fairland Dragons had played Tuesday’s game on the 29th Street Bridge and shot the ball over the side, there’s a good chance they would have missed the Ohio River.

Suffering their worst shooting night of the season, the Dragons lost 45-43 to the Wheelersburg Pirates in the Division 5 district semifinals at the Waverly Downtown Arena.

Fairland shot a chilly 30.9 percent from the field and was a mere 4 of 28 from behind the arc for a frigid 14 percent.

“We couldn’t buy a basket,” said Fairland coach Nathan Speed. “We had one turnover to their 14 and we took 21 more shots. It’s hard to explain.”

Fairland (21-2) trailed by as many as 15 points at the end of the third quarter and rallied to take a one-point lead, but could only muster 3 more points over the final 2:38 of the game.

The game was tied twice and the lead exchanged hands twice in the first quarter before Landon McGraw hit a 15-footer with 9 seconds on the clock to give the Pirates a 13-11 lead.

Braylon Rucker and Jack Doerr hit 3-pointers to begin the second quarter, Xander Mowery made a layup and Rucker hit a 15-footer as Wheelersburg took a 22-11 lead with 3:37 left in the half.

Cliff Fransen’s putback and Trevor Lochow’s 3-pointer got the Dragons within 22-16 at the half.

But the Pirates outscored the Dragons 13-4 in the third quarter and opened up a 35-20 lead as Xavier Miller converted a 3-point play and McGraw hit a 3-pointer to close out the quarter.

Fairland came storming back in the fourth quarter and took a 40-39 lead on a 3-pointer by Brody Buchanan with 2:38 to play.

Miller had a 3-pointer play and a layup as the Pirates regained the lead at 44-40.

Buchanan drained another trifecta with 52 seconds left, but Doerr’s foul shot made it 45-43 wit 31 seconds to play.

Fairland had a chance to tie the game but missed a shot and two putback attempts.

The Dragons forced a turnover but Buchanan’s 17-foot attempt hit off the rim and the Pirates got the rebound.

Mowery was fouled with 2 seconds left and missed both shots, but Fairland could only get off a desperation three-55-foot attempt.

Buchanan had a game-high 24 points in his final game to pace the Dragons.

Wheelersburg (12-11) was led by Miller with 17 points and McGraw added 10.

The Pirates will play Chesapeake in the district finals on Friday at Ohio University in the second game.

Wheelersburg   13 9 13 10 = 45

Fairland       11 5 4 23 = 43

WHEELERSBURG (12-11): Braylon Rucker 2 1 -0 7, Hunter Bivens 0 1 0-0 3, Xander Mowery 2 0 0-2 4, Xavier Miller 7 0 3-4 17, Kayson Whitt 0 0 0-0 0, Jack Doerr 0 1 1-2 4, Landon McGraw 2 2 0-0 10. Totals: 13 5 4-8 45. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

FAIRLAND (21-2): Gabe Polcyn 0 0 2-2 2, Trevor Lochow 0 1 0-0 3, Jeremiah Fizer 0 0 0-0 0, Cliff Fransen 4 0 0-0 8, Keegan Smith 1 1 1-1 6, Maddox Gue 0 0 0-0 0, Brody Buchanan 8 2 2-3 24. Totals: 13 4 5-6 43. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Polcyn (4th 0:02)