Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — It was Basketball 101.
The Fairland Dragons veteran group gave a tough lesson to the young Ironton Fighting Tigers in Friday’s Ohio Valley Conference game.
Featuring a starting lineup of five 3-year starters, the Dragons took Ironton’s young and inexperienced group to school with an 81-40 rout.
“Ironton got a big win over Wheelersburg on Tuesday so our kids knew they would have to come ready to play and they did,” said Fairland coach Nathan Speed.
“We did a lot of things well. That was a good win for us because it was a league win. But we can’t rest on this. We have to keep working had and trying to get better.”
Fairland played well in every facet, especially in the first half in building a comfortable 47-17 lead.
The Dragons hit 19-of-35 shots for 54 percent, forced 15 turnovers and out-rebounded Ironton 17-12. The Dragons were 6-of-13 from the 3-point line for 46 percent.
Fairland (5-0, 2-0) finish 32-of-70 for the game although the first unit was 28-of 55 for 51 percent including 10-of-21 from behind the arc.
The Dragons had five players in double figures led by Luke Thomas with 19 points as he hit five 3-pointers. Isaiah Howell scored 15 points, Kollin Van Horn had 13 while Gunner Short and Keedrick Cunningham got 10 each.
Point guard Ty Staten had eight steals and five rebounds. Van Horn grabbed 10 rebounds.
It was Murphy’s Law for Ironton. Nothing went well and Ironton coach Mark LaFon said the problems were all linked to the Fighting Tigers themselves.
“Fairland is a very good team and we’re not a good team right now. We didn’t play hard as a group all the time. I just want our guys to play hard. That’s all I want,” said LaFon. “We’re just not there yet. We’ll get there.”
Ironton’s two leading scorers — Ethan Wilson and Charlie Large — finished with just 2 points between them, a couple of foul shots by Wilson.
Kyle Adkins led Ironton (2-2, 0-1) with 15 points on five 3-pointers. Trevor Hacker came off the bench to drain three trifectas and score 10 points — all in the fourth quarter.
The Dragons took a 24-9 first quarter lead and got the first 7 points of the second quarter before Adkins hit a triple. But Fairland then scored 9 straight to lead 42-12 and it was 47-17 at the break.
A 3-pointer by Thomas opened up a 57-17 lead as Fairland ran off 10 unanswered points to begin the second half. The lead was 69-26 at the end of the quarter.
Both teams will play in the Ironton Classic. On Thursday Ironton will play Ashland at 8:15 p.m. and Fairland faces the Huntington Prep B Team at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are $8 each day with four games each session.
Ironton        9    8    9    14    =    40
Fairland    24    23    22    12    =    81
IRONTON (2-1, 0-0): Ethan Wilson 0 0 2-2 2, Charlie Large 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Adkins 0 5 0-0 15, Raphael Glover 2 0 1-2 5, Ryan Bryant 2 0 0-0 4, Joel Blankenship 0 0 0-0 0, Jourdyn Barrow 0 0 0-0 0, Isaiah Dodgion 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 0-0 0, Trevor Hacker 0 3 1-2 10, Collin Freeman 0 0 0-1 0, Bradyen Easterling 1 0 0-0 2, Jordan Grizzle 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 14-43 4-7 40. 3-point goals: 8-18. Rebounds: 11-O, 20-D = 31 (Barrow 5, Dodgion 4, Wilson 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 5. Assists: 3 (Bryant 2). Steals: 3. Turnovers: 29. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
FAIRLAND (3-0, 1-0): Ty Staten 1 0 0-0 2, Luke Thomas 2 5 0-0 19, Isaiah Howell 3 3 0-2 15, Kollin Van Horn 5 0 3-5 13, Gunner Short 2 2 0-2 10, Keedrick Cunningham 5 0 0-0 10, Joel Lambiotte 0 0 2-2 2, Matt Mondlak 1 0 0-0 2, Dairus Stapleton 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Fisher 0 0 0-0 0, Ian Chinn 0 0 0-0 0, Reilly Sowards 1 0 0-0 2, Austin Gartin 2 0 2-2 6, Andy Lange 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 32-70 7-12 81. 3-point goals: 10-28. Rebounds: 15-O, 20-D = 35 (Van Horn 10, Staten 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 10 (Thomas 3). Steals: 15 (Staten 8, Short 4). Turnovers: 8. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.