Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

A three-point play by 7-foot-1 Zach Loveday to start the game gave Gallipolis a 3-0 lead.
Now it was Ethan Wilson time.
The Ironton 6-2 senior guard hit his first six shots and scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half as the Fighting Tigers built a 31-24 lead and were in front by 11 points on two occasions.
With the aid of the big early lead and a gutty team effort, Ironton was able to hold on and upset the Blue Devils 59-57 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.
Wilson also had seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Charlie Large scored 19 points — 11 in the first half — and had nine rebounds while Jordan Grizzle added nine points and Trent Milleson eight points and five rebounds.
Loveday led Gallipolis with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Justin McClelland scored 12 points — all in the second half. Caleb Henry had 11 points and seven rebounds.
A layup by Wilson and a pass from Wilson to Large for a layup gave Ironton a 4-3 lead.
Henry hit a layup to put Gallipolis up 11-9 but Wilson drained a trifecta at the 3:43 mark as Ironton took the lead for good. Large had a layup and a 15-footer and a steal and layup by Wilson put the lead at 18-13.
Loveday had a layup and a dunk to make it 18-17 at the end of the quarter.
A trey by Large, two foul shots by Grizzle and then a layup and two foul shots by Wilson opened up a 29-18 lead with 5:04 left in the half.
Henry’s layup and a putback by Loveday cut the spread to 31-24 at the break.
Ironton was up 39-28 in the third quarter after a foul shot by Grizzle.
McClelland hit a pair of 3-pointers that cut the deficit to 41-34 and a layup by Logan Blouir just before the end of the quarter got Gallipolis within 46-38.
Cory Call and Henry hit baskets to start the fourth quarter and as Gallipolis cut the spread to 46-42.
Call had the Blue Devils down by just two points after a layup with 4:25 to play and it was 48-46.
But layups by Grizzle and Wilson put Ironton in front 52-46 with 2:20 left.
Loveday fouled out with 1:34 to play and Wilson made both free throws as a result of the foul and it was 54-46.
McClelland came back and hit a 3-pointer and Call scored to cut the spread to 54-51.
Wilson was fouled on the inbounds and hit both free throws only to have Bailey Walker convert a three-point play and Ironton’s lead was 56-54 with 47 seconds left.
Grizzle came back to hit two clutch foul shots with 30 seconds on the clock and it was 59-56.
McClelland hit a foul with 12 seconds left but Ironton missed two free throws with eight seconds left.
Call missed a layup and Wilson grabbed the rebound as time ran out.
Ironton played Wheelersburg on Saturday and hosts the Ironton Classic next Friday and Saturday.
Gallipolis 17 7 14 14 = 57
Ironton 18 13 15 15 = 59
GALLIPOLIS (3-2, 1-1): Caleb Henry 2 0 7-8 11, Justin McClelland 1 3 1-2 12, Logan Blouir 1 0 2-2 4, Cory Call 5 0 0-0 10, Zach Loveday 7 0 3-4 17, Cole Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Bailey Waker 1 0 1-1 3, Blaine Carter 0 0 0-0 0, Ben Cox 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 2054 14-17 57. 3-pt. goals: 3-11. Rebounds: 15-O, 17-D = 32 (Loveday 12, Henry 7, Call 6). Team/deadball rebounds: 2. Assists: 8 (McClelalnd 3, Call 3). Steals: 5 (Henry 2). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Loveday (4th 1:34).
IRONTON (2-1, 1-1): Ethan Wilson 6 1 8-12 23, Jordan Grizzle 2 0 5-6 9, Reid Carrico 0 0 0-0 0, Charlie Large 6 2 1-4 19, Trent Milleson 3 0 2-3 8, Ayden Barnes 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 0-1 0, Trent Hacker 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-51 16-26 59. 3-pt goals: 3-6. Rebounds: 9-O, 21-D = 30 (Large 9, Wilson 7, Milleson 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 1. Assists: 4 (Wilson 2). Steals: 6 (Wilson 3). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.