By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SPRING VALLEY, W.Va. — Next time Ironton needs to remember to bring a crowbar to the game.

The Fighting Tigers needed a crowbar to get the lid off the baskets as they suffered a cold shooting night in a 63-45 loss to the unbeaten Spring Valley Timberwolves on Saturday.

Ironton (5-4) shot just 18 of 57 from the field for 31 percent including 6 of 26 from behind the arc for 22 percent.

“When they say if a place is tough to shoot in, don’t hit the rim. We had a ton of shots that rolled around the rim and came out,” said Ironton coach Chris Barnes.

“The second and third quarters were the difference when we were 0-for-12 from 3 (point range) and they weren’t bad shots. They took away most of our inside game and we were wide open from the outside.”

Ironton tied the game at 6-6 on a 3-pointer by Bryce Markins and 10-all on a basket buy Braden Schreck before Markins hit another triple to give Ironton its first lead at 13-10.

A layup by Harrison Riggs gave the T-Wolves a 14-13 lead but a 3-pointer by Tyler Roach and a layup by Ashton Layne put Ironton ahead 18-14 at the end of the quarter.

Ironton (5-4) led 22-16 after a layup by Maddix Markel but the T-Wolves went on a 14-0 run to take a 30-22 lead.

Schreck scored before the end of the half and it was 30-24.

After scoring just 6 points in the second quarter, Ironton managed only 6 more points in the third quarter but only trailed 38-30.

A layup by Roach had Ironton down 40-32 when Clay Robertson hit a 3-pointer to start a run and Riggs’ tip-in capped it as Spring Valley took a 51-35 lead.

Schreck finally ended the skid but Ironton could get no closer than 53-42 on a 3-pointer by Markins.

Riggs had 26 points to lead Spring Valley (9-0) while Robertson had 15 points — 12 in the fourth quarter — and Grayson scored 13.

Schreck and Markins scored 12 points each for Ironton. Layne had 10 rebounds and 2 blocks while Schreck had 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Judah Barnes had 3 steals.

“We did a pretty good job on Robertson. He hit a 3 late when the game was over. They had one little spurt in the fourth quarter,” said Barnes.

“We did everything we needed to do to win the game except put the ball in that orange thing up there. But make no mistake. Spring Valley is a very, very good team.”

Ironton visits Portsmouth on Tuesday, hosts Coal Grove on Wednesday, Portsmouth on Friday and Calvary Baptist on Saturday.

Ironton  18 6 6 15 = 45

Spring Valley 14 16 8 25 = 63

IRONTON (5-4): Baden Schreck 6 0 0-0 12, Bryce Martins 0 4 0-0 12, Ashton Layne 3 0 1-2 7, Tyler Roach 1 1 0-0 5, Maddix Markel 2 0 0-0 4, Judah Barnes 0 1 0-0 3, Markel Cotton 0 0 2-2 2, Carson Freeman 0 0 0-0 0, Brycen Mullins 0 0 0-0 0, Braylon Sturgill 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-57 3-4 45. 3-pt goals: 6-26. Rebounds: 4-O 21-D = 25 (Layne 10, Schreck 5, Markel 4). Assists: 11 (Schreck 6). Steals: 4 (Barnes 3). Blocks: 2 (Layne 2). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.

SPRING VALLEY (9-0): Keyan Grayson 3 1 4-4 13, Ryan Chaffin 0 0 0-0 0, Clay Robertson 3 3 0-0 15, Jalyn Abercrombie 0 0 0-0 0, Marcus Lewis 0 0 1-2 1, Colton Caldwell 3 0 2-2 8, Mason Williams 0 0 0-0 0, Harrison Riggs 12 0 2-5 26, Brock Biggs 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-57 9-13 63. 3-pt goals: 4-11. Rebounds: 😯 29-D = 37. Assists: 12. Steals: 7. Blocks: 6. Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.