By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — The Fairland Dragons love playing opossum.

Often times this season the Dragons have found themselves in a close game in the first half and then explode in the second half to get the easy win.

The Dragons lulled the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes into thinking they were in for a tight game on Saturday before exploding in the second half for a 67-34 rout and the Division 3 sectional title.

Fairland led by just 5 points at the half but outscored N-Y 44-16 in the second half.

Fairland (15-8) plays South Point at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ironton in the district semi-finals.

Chase Allen scored 7 points and Brody Buchanan had 4 points as the Dragons led 11-10 after the first quarter.

James Koska and Keagan Swope scored 4 points each to keep the Buckeyes close.

Allen had 6 points in the second quarter and the defense held N-Y to 8 points and the lead was 23-18 at the half.

Koska had half of the Buckeyes 8 points.

The Dragons took over in the second half and dominated the third quarter but outscoring the Buckeyes 26-3.

Allen drained a pair of 3-pointers and scored 11 points, Will Davis and Steeler Leep scored 4 points each and Brody Buchanan nailed a trifecta and it was 49-21.

Fairland padded its lead by another 5 points in the fourth quarter by as Buchanan score 6 points and Allen went 4-of-4 at the foul line.

A.J. Stone had 4 points and Dakota Inman hit a 3-pointer for the Buckeyes.

Allen finished with a game-high 28 points to lead the Dragons. Buchanan had a big all-around performance with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

Fairland shot 27-of-51 from the field for a hot 53 percent and a perfect 8-of-8 from the foul line.

Koska’s 8 points led the Buckeyes (15-9) who shot just 14-of-46 from the floor for 30 percent including a mere 1-of-10 from behind the arc.

Nelsonville    10 8 3 13 = 34

Fairland   11 12 26 18 = 67

NELSONVILLE-YORK (15-9): Dakota Inman 0-0 1-1 0-0 3, James Koska 4-6 0-4 0-0 8, A.J. Stone 1-3 0-0 2-2 4, Caleb Pickett 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Alec Thompson 0-1 0-0 0-0 0, Landon Inman 1-3 0- 0-2 2, Thatcher Smith 1-1 0-0 0-0 2, Keagan Swope 3-9 0-4 1-4 7, Trent Morrissey 0-4 0-1 0-0 0, Leighton Loge 1-7 0-0 2-2 4 Andrew Comer 2-2 0-0 0-0 4. Totals: 14-46 5-10 34. 3-pt goals: 1-10. Rebounds: 20 (Loge 6, Swope 6). Assists: 1 (Koska). Steals: 6 (Swope 4). Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

FAIRLAND (16-8): Will Davis 3-3 1-2 0-0 9, Chase Allen 8-13 2-6 6-6 28, J.D. Thacker 1-3 0-1 0-0 2, Steeler Leep 3-4 1-1 0-0 9, Brody Buchanan 4-6 1-3 2-2 13, Turk Fowler 0-1 0-0 0-0 0, Zion Martin 0-1 0-1 0-0 0, Noah Marcum 1-3 0-0 0-0 2, Cliff Fransen 0-1 0-0 0-0 0, Keegan Smith 1-2 0-0 0-0 2, Trevor Loch 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Jameson Lauder 1-1 0-0 0-0 2, Elijah Knipp 0-1 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-51 8-8 67. 3-pt goals: 5-12. Rebounds: 26 (Buchanan 7, Leep 6). Assists: 7 (Buchanan 4). Steals: 5 (Buchanan 3). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.