Fairland Dragons Chase Allen (1) dries past Minford’s Jeff Pica during a 58-45 loss to Minford in the Division 3 district semifinals on Sunday. (Tim Gearhart Sports Photos/For The Ironton Tribune)

By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ATHENS — With 6:08 left to play, Trevor Lochow hit a 3-pointer that put the Fairland Dragons ahead 42-38.

With 2:28 to play, Chase Allen made one of 2 free throw attempts. Between those scores, the Dragons did not score.

With the offense MIA, the Dragons fell behind 52-42 and couldn’t recover in a 58-45 loss to the Minford Falcons in the Division 3 district semifinals on Sunday at the Ohio University Convocation Center.

“We didn’t shoot well in the second half and that caused us to rush shots and we didn’t run a good offense for a stretch. I think three straight possessions we came down and turned the ball over,” said Dragons’ coach Nathan Speed.

“They were just trapping the first pass. I think we got it to the middle once or twice and just dropped the ball. That was a big stretch and we just didn’t handle it well.”

Fairland (16-9) led 10-8 after the first quarter and used a layup by Keegan Smith and a 3-pointer by Brody Buchanan at the buzzer to open up a 24-18 halftime lead.

Myles Montgomery hit an 18-footer that gave Minford a 30-29 lead with 3:56 left in the third quarter and 2 free throws by Jeff Pica made it 32-29.

Lochow hit a trey to tie the game and Buchanan’s 15-footer tied the game at 34.

Montgomery sank 2 free throws to snap the tie but Lochow drained a 3-pointer with one second on the clock as Fairland led 37-36.

Lochow’s third 3-pointer put Fairland up 42-38 and then the offense went cold. Minford’s Bennett Kayser took charge during the next 4 minutes as he scored 7 points including a 3-point play with 3:35 left and it was 51-42.

Troy Rhodes added a free throw and the lead was 10 points.

“That stretch just killed us. We played really hard, we just didn’t execute the way we needed to,” said Speed. “We did a good job contesting, but we were just a little careless with the ball in the second half. That really hurt us down the stretch.”

Minford converted 6-of-10 free throws the rest of the way to seal the outcome.

Buchanan had 17 points and 4 rebounds to lead the Dragons who made only 18-of-50 shots for 36 percent.

Fairland was just 1-of-2 at the foul line while Minford was 19-0f-26.

Montgomery — who was 9-of-10 at the line — led Minford with 22 points. Kayser has 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Minford will play North Adams at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the district finals.

Fairland 10 14 13 8 = 45

Minford 8 10 18 22 = 58

FAIRLAND (16-9): Will Davis 2 0 0-0 4, Chase Allen 1 1 1-2 6, Noah Marcum 2 0 0-0 4, Keegan Smith 1 1 0-0 5, Brody Buchanan 4 3 0-0 17, Brycen Hunt 0 0 0-0 0, Trevor Lochow 0 3 0-0 9, Elijah Kipp 0 0 0-0 0, Peyton Jackson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-50 1-2 45. 3-pt goals: 8-19. Rebound: O-11 D-17 = 28 (Smith 6, Buchanan 4, Davis 4, Allen 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 2. Assists: 7 (Buchanan 3, Allen 2). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Smith (4th 0:54)

MINFORD (19-3): Troy Rhodes 2 0 4-6 8, Myles Montgomery 5 1 9-10 22, Jeff Pica 0 0 2-2 2, Jackson Shoemaker 3 0 3-5 9, Bennett Kayser 8 0 1-3 17, Kade Glockner 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-38 19-26 58. 3-pt goals: 1-1-10. Rebounds: O-7 D-22 = 29 (Kayser 8, Montgomery 5, Shoemaker 5). Team/deadball rebound: 4. Assists: 5 (Kayser 2, Montgomery 2). Steals: 7 (Kayser 2, Montgomery 2) Turnovers: 5. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.