Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

You can’t coach size, but you do have to coach against it.
The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers not only had to battle 6-foot Lexie Smith but even more they faced the task of going against 6-foot-4 Katie Dettwiller on Saturday in the fifth annual Tackett’s Body Shop Shootout.
The duo combined for 35 points and 26 of Portsmouth Notre Dame’s 56 points as the Lady Titans fought off the Lady Fighting Tigers 56-48.
Dettwiller had 24 points and 16 rebounds while Smith got 11 points and 10 rebounds to keep the Lady Titans unbeaten in 21 games.
“You have to open double and triple teaming her and that leaves people open. I was proud of my girls. We had it to a one possession and we have it down to one score and we have a chance,” said Ironton coach Doug Graham.
“I like how we fought and didn’t give up. We’re going to see somebody big in the tournament, so we have to do those things. We rushed a few layups that rimmed out two or three times. (Dettwiller) definitely alters shots. She’s 6-4 and she’s smart.”
Ironton (15-5) was led by Riley Schreck who drained four 3-pointers and scored 17 points. Lexie Arden had16 points, eight rebounds and five steals while Lexi Wise got 15 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists.
“Riley hit some big shots and she battled inside along with Katie Boyer, Lexie Arden, Lexi Wise. It’s tiring to (battle inside) the whole game against those big girls,” said Graham.
Arden scored four straight points to start the game and her layup late in the first quarter made it 9-6. Lexi Smith hit a layup with 44 seconds on the clock and it was 9-8.
Wise buried a 3-pointer to start the second quarter and put Ironton up 12-8, but Ali Smith came off the bench and hit a pair of 3-pointers to fuel an 8-0 run before Schreck’s putback got Ironton within 16-14.
The Lady Titans scored seven straight to lead 23-14 before Arden drained a 3-pointer and hit a layup and cut the deficit to 23-19 at the break.
Notre Dame took a 29-21 lead on a 3-pointer by Taylor Schmidt. A layup by Schreck off a pass from Wise and a 3-pointer by Arden cut the lead to 29-26.
The Lady Titans’ Ava Hassel and Schreck traded 3-pointers before a putback by Dettwiller made it 36-31 to end the third quarter.
Notre Dame led 45-38 after Dettwiller followed up a missed shot but Schreck drained a pair of trifectas and cut the deficit to 45-44.
A putback by Dettwiller and a steal and layup by Molly Hoover gave the Lady Titans a 52-46 lead with 2:05 left.
Ironton got within 52-48 on foul shots by Wise and Schreck, but two free throws by Hassell with 33 seconds left pushed the lead to 54-48.
Dettwiller then hit two foul shots that settled the outcome.
Ironton hosts Coal Grove on Monday.
Notre Dame    8    15    13    20    =    56
Ironton       9    10    12    17    =    48
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (21-0): Molly Hoover 2 0 0-2 4, Taylor Schmidt 0 1 0-0 3, Katie Dettwiller 10 0 4-5 24, Ava Hassel 0 1 5-6 7, Lexie Smith 5 0 1-2 11, Ali Smith 0 2 0-0 6, Clara Hash 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-43 10-15 56. 3-pt goals: 4-12. Rebound: 12-O, 23-D = 35 (Dettwiler 16, L. Smith 10). Team rebounds: 1. Assists: 6 (Schmidt 2, Hassel 2). Steals: 5 (Hoover 2). Turnovers: 19. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
IRONTON (15-5): Riley Schreck 2 4 1-2 17, Lexi Wise 4 2 1-3 15, Lydia Hannan 0 0 0-0 0, Ellie Williams 0 0 0-2 0, Lexie Arden 5 2 0-0 16, Haylee Stevens 0 0 0-0 0, Katie Boyer 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-53 2-7 48. 3-pt goals: 8-18. Rebounds: 12-O, 16-D = 28 (Arden 8, Wise 7). Team rebounds: 7. Assists: 4 (Wise 2). Steals: 11 (Arden 5, Wise 4). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.