Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

There was no special halftime speech. There may have been some extensive use of WD-40, though.

Showing the affects of not playing in 12 days, the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers shook of the rust in the second half and beat the Chesapeake Lady Panthers 49-25 on Thursday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Ironton (16-0, 11-0) scored just 15 points in the first half and led by just four. But that changed dramatically in the second half.

“We were sluggish the first half. There wasn’t anything to do X’s and O’s, just the fact of them going out and playing the way they are capable of playing,” said Ironton coach Doug Graham.

Ironton was 21-of-51 from the field for 41 percent after making only 7-of-22 in the first half for 31 percent.

“We didn’t shoot well, but you’re going to have nights like that. Giving up 26 points, I’m pleased with that,” said Graham.

But the defense limited Chesapeake to 10-of-45 shooting for 22 percent including 4-of-20 in the first half for 20 percent and 6-of-23 in the second half for 26 percent. Ironton led by as many as 30 points.

“We gave up eight points in the second half in 15 minutes of basketball and in the last minute they scored six in a row with the reserves in. I was proud of their effort in the second half. The second half was the way we’re capable of playing,” said Graham.

Lexie Barrier took advantage of the Lady Panthers’ box-and-one defense on teammate Sydney Webb as she scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had three steals.

Lexie Wise added seven rebounds, Cheyenne Scott six rebounds, four assists and two steals despite being in foul trouble.

Natalee Hall had nine points and seven rebounds for Chesapeake (13-5, 7-4\). Kaylee Curry had seven points and 12 rebounds.

Ironton took a 5-2 lead on a trifecta by Webb at the 4:42 mark of the first quarter and never trailed.

Chesapeake (13-5, 7-4) stayed close the first half with Hall’s layup getting the Lady Panthers within 15-11 at the break.

Barrier took over in the third quarter as she scored 10 points. She made two straight shots for a 29-14 lead with 2:01 on the clock. Alyssa Lewis drained a trey at the buzzer to give Ironton a 36-17 lead.

The Lady Tigers took their biggest lead at 49-19 on a layup by Webb with 1:37 to play.

Ironton hosts Alexander at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday. Chesapeake visits Fairland next Thursday.

Chesapeake 3 8 6 8 = 25

Ironton 9 6 21 13 = 49

CHESAPEAKE (13-5, 7-4): Bailey Mills 0 0 0-0 0, Kaylee Curry 3 0 1-5 7, Jozy Jones 0 0 2-2 2, Natalee Hall 4 0 1-2 9, Brooke Webb 2 0 0-0 4, Dominique Murphy 0 0 1-2 1, Kelsey Huff 1 0 0-0 2, Karli Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Haley Stapleton 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10-45 5-11 25. 3-point goals: 0-11. Rebounds: 10-O, 23-D = 33 (Curry 12, Hall 7). Team rebounds: 1. Assists: 2. Steals: 2. Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (16-0, 11-0): Jordan Hannan 0 1 0-0 3, Lexie Wise 2 0 0-6 4, Lexie Barrier 10 0 1-2 21, Sydney Webb 1 1 0-0 5, Cheyenne Scott 2 0 2-2 6, Alyssa Lewis 0 1 0-0 3, D’Laynie Keith 2 0 1-2 5, Zakia Lee 1 0 0-0 2, Kaylin Easterling 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-51 4-12 49. 3-point goals: 3-11. Rebounds: 11-O, 27-D = 38 (Barrier 8, Wise 7, Scott 6, Webb 5, Keith 5). Team rebounds: 3. Assists: 9 (Scott 4, Hannan 2). Steals: 10 (Barrier 3, Webb 2, Scott 2, Hannan 2). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.