Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The preliminaries are over. Now for the main event.
After polishing off the Portsmouth Trojans 73-56 on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game, the Ironton Fighting Tigers are now ready to turn their full attention to Tuesday’s showdown when they host the first-place Fairland Dragons.
“I said in the locker room, you put yourself back in position in the conference. It’s a huge game on Tuesday,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.
Ironton (10-4, 5-2) got a huge game against Portsmouth from senior guard Ethan Wilson who scored 26 points to give him 1,000 points exactly for his career.
Wilson hit a season-high four 3-pointers to lead three players in double figures. Charlie Large had 12 points and Jordan Grizzle hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points.
Reid Carrico had eight points and nine rebounds.
“It wasn’t about trying to get 1,000 points. Teams are starting to go after Charlie and back off Ethan,” said LaFon. “We had a good first half and a good third quarter and the fourth quarter we put it away.”
Portsmouth (6-8, 2-4) was led by Matt Fraulini with 20 points and eight rebounds with Danny Lattimore getting 18 points and five rebounds.
Ironton’s defense focused on Fraulini who had a school-record 46 points last week.
“When you try to take something away, you give up something and it was Lattimore’s drive. We did a better job on him in the second half,” said LaFon.
Ironton jumped out to a 24-10 first quarter lead as Wilson hit three trifectas and scored 11 points. Lattimore scored at the buzzer to make it 24-12.
Wilson hit a 15-footer and another trey to give Ironton a 29-16 lead to begin the second quarter.
Layups by Carrico and Large put the lead at 33-22 only to have Portsmouth go on a 7-0 run capped by a Fraulini 3-pointer and it was 33-29 at the break.
Ironton led 39-29 on a layup by Wilson early in the third quarter but two foul shots by Fraulini and it was 39-33.
Grizzle hit a 3-pointer, Trent Milleson a short jumper and Ayden Barnes had a putcack to opened up a 46-33 lead.
The Trojans would quit and got within 48-39 to end the quarter.
Two foul shots by Barnes and a trey by Grizzle made it 53-39 and a putback by Carrico had the lead at 61-43 with 4:50 to go.
Large made two foul shots and then Wilson sank two free throws with 3:13 left to give him 1,000 points and Ironton a 65-45 lead.
Milleson had two more baskets with Large and Carrico each getting a layup down the stgretch to secure the win.
Portsmouth entertains Coal Grove on Tuesday.
Ironton 24 9 15 25 = 73
Portsmouth 12 17 10 17 = 56
IRONTON (10-4, 5-2): Ehtna Wilson 6 4 2-2 26, Jordan Grizzle 1 3 0-0 11, Reid Carrico 3 0 2-2 8, Charlie Large 5 0 2-4 12, Ayden Barnes 3 0 2-2 8, Trent Milleson 4 0 0-0 8, Hunter Humphreys 0 0 0-0 0, Collin Freeman 0 0 0-0 0, Erickson Barnes 0 0 0-0 0, Trent Hacker 0 0 0-0 0, Will York 0 0 0-0 0, Richard Thompson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 29-59 8-10 73. 3-pt goals: 7-18. Rebounds: 11-O, 22-D = 33 (Carrico 9, Wilson 5, Milleson 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 1. Assists: 10 (Large 3, Barnes 2, Wilson 2, Grizzle 2). Steals: 6 (Grizzle 2). Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 12. Foled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH (6-8, 2-5): Matt Fraulini 5 2 4-5 20, Danny Lattimore 7 1 1-3 18, Myquel McKinley 3 0 0-1 6, Miles Shipp 4 0 2-2 10, Kaden Davis 1 0 0-0 2, Amare Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Chris Duff 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-47 7-10 56. 3-pt goals: 3-9. Rebounds: 5-O, 19-D = 24 (Frauline 8, Lattimore 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 5 (Fraulini 2). Steals: 1 (Lattimore). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 11. Fouled out; None.