By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

PROCTORVILLE — When the going got tough, the Fairland Lady Dragons got tougher.

Fairland used some clutch baskets down the stretch to help beat the River Valley Lady Raiders 60-53 Thursday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“We grew up a little tonight,” said Fairland coach Jon Buchanan. “It was nice to see them get in a game like this and show some grit and make some plays in the clutch.”

Chandler Fulks scored nine points in the first quarter as Fairland took a 17-15 lead.

The Lady Dragons went up 37-32 at the half despite 10 points by Jessica Hager for the Lady Raiders.

Fairland built a 9-point lead late in the third quarter and led 48-41 going into the fourth quarter.

River Valley rallied to take a 2-point lead with 2:40 to play, but Fulks tied the game with a driving layup and Kayla Swiger converted a 3-point play to put Fairland ahead for good.

Swiger scored six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Fulks had 24 points to lead all scorers. Lauren Poe and Katie Fuller had 10 points each for Fairland (3-8, 1-1).

Samantha Lamb and Alyssa Hessel grabbed seven rebounds each while Swiger had six.

Hager had 19 points and Brooke Marcum 11 points and 21 rebounds for River Valley.

River Valley 15 17 9 12 = 53

Fairland 17 20 11 12 = 60

RIVER VALLEY (4-5, 1-1): Jessia Hager 9-14 0-0 1-6 19, Shalin Comer 0-1 0- 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Roberts 3-6 0-0 1-6 7, Allie Neville 1-3 0-2 4-10 6, Cady Gilmore 0-0 2-3 2-2 8, Kaci Bryant 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Beth Misner 1-4 0-0 0-1 2, Brooke Marcum 3-6 0-0 5-9 11. Totals: 19-40 13-34 53. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Roberts, Marcum. 3-point goals: 2-6. Rebounds: 36 (Marcum 21, Roberts 6).

FAIRLAND (3-8, 1-1): Katie Fuller 4-12 0-2 2-6 10, Kayla Swiger 4-15 0-1 2-3 10, Jaimie Phillips 0-1 0-0 0-0 0, Chandler Fulks 5-9 4-6 2-2 24, Lauren Poe 4-5 0-0 2-2 10, Tori Garrett 0-1 0-0 0-0 0, Alyssa Hessel 0-4 0-0 0-0 0, Haley Woodall 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Samantha Lamb 2-8 0-1 2-4 6, Kerie Napier 0-2 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-67 10-17 60. Fouls: 28. Fouled out: Poe, Lamb. 3-point goals: 4-10. Rebounds: 36 (Lamb 7, Hessel 7, Swiger 6).

RESERVES: Fairland 23, River Valley 16.