IRONTON 43 VS Oak Hill 31 - 3/13 - FINAL

[SSTB]

Challenge yourself with a tough schedule as much as possible. Its easy to look good and hit shots when you are not being challenged. You step on the court and compete to win everytime that is a given. But the big record at the end of a season is shallow compared to a state championship. A strong schedule makes what you used to call a tough game just become the next game. A game that we can win if we play well adapt to what the oppenent is doing and adapt to what is or is not working that day for us. Then after the season is over you can analyze your stats. As this game was approaching all I heard (I don't know how many times) was that Oak Hill played their worst game ever when they only beat Ironton by 2 in the 1st game. Well I guess now that is the second worst game ever and the defeat is the new worst game of all time. By the way I am not from either town.

[sprinter14]

[quote="MightyOaksFan"]a select few are making it hard to root for Ironton this week.


Buddy, your pathetic attitude on the junior high forum made it tough for me not to laugh all the way home from the convo on Saturday.

[MightyOaksFan]

For those that don't know sprinter is crying because their team got beat really bad by 8 players from Jackson. Again I say 8 players and they wanted them to sub more. lol

Are you still stewing about that. You better go over to the open coaching forum and apply somewhere so that we can teach some more kids not to try hard for 4 quarters.

[sprinter14]

Oaks, we can post the link to the thread. I'm not ashamed of what was on it.

My point is simply this. What you say on here as a fan reflects on your school. You made that point about Ironton people with what I quoted you on. All I'm sayin is that you made Oak Hill as hard to cheer for as they are makin it for Ironton. Something comes to mind about a pot and a kettle.........

[MightyOaksFan]

yes we can post a link. I think that if you are a fan of Oak Hill or Ironton that they will both agree with me because they are about getting better and competing at the next level.

http://www.southeasternohiopreps.com/fo ... 24&t=68505


My problem is with the way SOME fans are reacting, just the way they are angry at SOME of our fans for predicting a victory.

Your problem is with what I said about hard work and you would rather teach kids to play at 80% because you are winning by 20 and back it down every time you get up a little more. If hardwork, teamwork, and dedication are hard for you to root for then Oak Hill is not for you. Yes we will press you through the 3rd quarter. Why, because they have worked 10 times harder during the summer than most teams do during the season.

[Tjhtygeverve]

OKIE DOKIE, I MADE A WOKIE.... PLEASE EXCUSE THE TYPING MESS, IM STILL IN SHOCK FROM A FULL COURT PRESS, THAT LADY YELLING GO TIGERS GO IN THE ORANGE AND BLACK STRIPED DRESS, THE OAKS GRASPING FOR AIR WHILE THE LADY TIGERS SMILED AND SAID " OH YES"!!! THIS IS JUST A SILLY POST FOR A REASON... ROCK ON ALL.. ENJOY LIFE, BUT WATCH THE STRIPE...

[TIGERS90]

a select few are making it hard to root for Ironton this week.

How is we shot poorly an excuse? It is a fact. Look at every single game we played, come to a practice, watch the girls in AAU. They have never shot like that. We have girls on our team that shoot 40% from 3 point range for the season.

When you when a game because a team just doesn't make shots that they normally do that is not saying that your team is bad.

To toast: How did Oak Hill make a run in the second half? Their press. What is the only way that they were getting the ball back, Ironton's turnovers from the press. Half of the people that are on here were not even at the game or have not seen a replay. Oak Hill was getting wide open shots. They just weren't falling. Credit to Ironton, when they saw that Oak Hill weren't making their shots all they had to do was pack it in the lane and didn't allow easy entry passes to the post and did not allow easy dribble penetration.

Again, I am not quite sure how it is an excuse.
Oak Hill wasn't making shots they usually do, Ironton did what they had to do to win= Ironton won.

As far as the refs, they didn't shoot the ball so I will not blame them, but I will say that a veteran ref before the game told me there is one ref out there that doesn't belong in a regional final game.

Ironton fans, take this game and be happy you won, it doesn't matter if you won because Oak Hill didn't shoot well or it was a fluke or even if Oak Hill forfeited. A win is a win and you are moving on which is all that counts.

Enjoy your week at the tourney.

I have always been told...normally when you are missing your baskets..it's usually because the other team has a great defense that is stopping the other team from making the shots that normally comes easy...As far as this game and the other game against Oak Hill...both games we were told of Oak Hill having such a bad game...Now..we all know why Oak Hill had such a bad game..Ironton's Lady Tiger's Defense made for that bad game..Oak hill had to rush their shots..and always had someone in their face...that normally makes for a tougher time shooting the ball...as it did both times...thanks for the support...The winning team moves on...as for the Oaks..Great Season..Keep your heads up..you will be back next year..and I am sure you will be a tough out as always...Go Tigers...

[caglewis]

http://www.irontontribune.com/news/2010 ... ing-dream/

[sportnut]

The Lady Oaks have no reason to hold their heads high for they were one of those that I spoke of being on Ironton tuff schedule. They always come out & give 110%. I don't want to take away anything from these girls. I also in return, DO NOT WANT ANYONE OR ANYBODY TAKING AWAY FROM THE LADY TIGERS AND THEIR HARD WORK. I know alot of the Oaks fans looked @ their record of 24-0 & then Ironton had 7 losses in regular season. They also didn't have 21 starting for half the season and if you look @ that 1st half of the season she didn't get much playing time either. Would that have made a difference in our losses. Is that a contributing factor in how the Tigers came back with intensity to make it thus far. If you ask most of the fans for Ironton they will agree. If Ironton hadn't changed their lineup and had left her on the bench they may not be where they are today. But, it is team work without selflishness that makes it happen for this group of girls. They do not care who is putting the numbers up because each knows that it was their team that worked to put those points up there. Go Tigers! You guys can bring this back home for a first.

[Buckeye84]

Oak Hill was cold and Ironton was hot... Ironton won. End of story. Like I said, the BETTER team lost and EVERYONE knows that.

As I said in the other post, I rooted for Ironton throughout the tourney but due to being SORE WINNERS, I hope Middleton Madison kicks some Ironton butt!!!

[MightyOaksFan]

Just not the Lady Oaks' day
By PAUL BOGGS
Sports Editor
Published: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 6:22 AM EDT
ATHENS -- It was indeed the Lady Oaks’ year. But Saturday, simply put, just wasn’t the Lady Oaks’ day.

The Oak Hill High School girls basketball team, in its quest to continue a historic season and complete back-to-back bids to the Division III state tournament, shot an ice-cold 22-percent in falling to the underdog Ironton Fighting Tigers 43-31 in the regional championship at the Ohio University Convocation Center in Athens. With their first -- and only -- loss of the season Saturday, the Lady Oaks -- abruptly even -- end a stellar campaign at 24-1. Last season’s total of 25 triumphs remains the single-season school record.

Oak Hill had also maintained a third-place ranking in the Division III Associated Press statewide poll all season, and eyed a return trip to the state championship game at least, where they lost last year for the second time in school history. But instead it’s Ironton, which was the club closest to topping Oak Hill this season, climbing over the Oaks for the regional championship and advancing to Thursday’s state semifinals.

Ironton improved to 17-7, stretched its win streak to five after getting upstaged by Jackson on Feb. 8, and returned to the state tournament after another appearance just six seasons ago.

Oak Hill had initially advanced to the Final Four in 2004, and was competing in its third straight regional championship on Saturday.

It was the Lady Oaks’ eighth Elite Eight appearance in school history, with all of them coming since -- and including -- 1997.

But this one -- perhaps more than any other -- appeared a lock from the minute the buzzer sounded in last season’s state championship game.

What was unlocked, shockingly on Saturday, was the Lady Oaks’ return to state.

But Oak Hill head coach Doug Hale had nothing but praise for the Fighting Tigers, and their ability to rally, make Oak Hill seem out of sync offensively, and limit the Lady Oaks to their two lowest point totals of the season.

“Ironton had been playing really well and they cause us matchup problems,” he said. “They match up so well on defense, and they are physical and big and thick. They made the game smaller and smaller. They came in as the underdog, they had nothing to lose and they just came out and gave us a great game.”

But the Lady Oaks, an eight-time visitor to the Convo over the past four seasons including four times this season alone, simply couldn’t connect from three-point land.

Oak Hill hit a frosty 20-percent (6-of-30) from there, and made just 11-of-50 total field goals overall (22-percent).

The Lady Oaks canned just 6-of-32 from the field in the first half, including 4-of-20 from beyond the three-point arc.

“I thought the key to the game was that we had, especially early on, some great open looks at some outside threes and we just didn’t connect on any,” said Hale. “We just didn’t make our outside shots.”

In the second half, only Rebecca Puckett’s pair of threes on 10 team attempts went down.

Ironton, on the other hand, hit all three of its threes, including two as a team in the second canto and two individually by Brea Tackett.

Tackett’s trey in the fourth, with four-and-a-half minutes remaining, marked the fourth and final lead change of the game and put Ironton ahead to stay.

In Ironton’s narrow 46-44 loss against Oak Hill on Jan. 2, in which they trailed by 11 three times, the Tigers twice trimmed the deficit to six before closing to within 46-44 in the final 42 seconds.

In the regional rematch, Ironton erased a pair of six-point deficits, with the second starting at the two-and-a-half minute mark of the third quarter.

After Oak Hill’s Taylor Hale hit a pair of free throws with two-and-a-half minutes remaining, the only Lady Oaks’ points the rest of the way came courtesy of Puckett’s final three-pointer exactly 7:55 later.

In stunning fashion, Ironton outscored Oak Hill 21-3 over the final 10-and-a-half minutes of the game.

Once Tackett’s trifecta put the Tigers in front for good (30-28), the Tigers tacked on four more points for a dozen unanswered and a six-point lead of their own.

Puckett pumped in her final three of three for the 34-31 deficit exactly two minutes later, but who knew that would be the Lady Oaks’ only points of the entire fourth quarter -- and even the rest of the game.

Nikki Elswick added a basket to make it 36-31 just 23 seconds later, then Ironton sank seven more free throws to stretch the lead to an amazing double digits.

Tackett split a pair with 17 seconds remaining to give the Lady Tigers their largest lead at 43-31, which held up as the final.

Oak Hill, because of its 30 trey tries, had fewer points in the paint or rebounds, and only saw the free-throw line five times.

All five tries came in the second 16 minutes.

Ironton outrebounded the Lady Oaks 40-25, and made 22 trips to the free-throw line while sinking 16.

“We said if we rebound, we advance. That was going to be a key. We couldn’t get to the foul line either,” said Coach Hale. “We didn’t until the second half, and they did the whole game.”

Elswick was 5-of-5 through the first three quarters, Janie Morris made 1-of-2 in the second, and the Tigers tallied 10-of-14 as a team in the fourth.

Morris made all four of her attempts, and Tackett added 5-of-6.

That’s what Morris made overall, as Elswick was 6-of-7 in addition to six field goals for a game-high 18.

She also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to post a double-double.

She had nine boards and four field goals in the first half, with some coming via way of second chances.

“We had no answer for Elswick inside on her putbacks,” said Hale.

Speaking of 13, that’s how many markers Tackett had in addition to three steals.

Morris (eight points) made a three in the second stanza along with Tackett, and dished out three assists.

Rebekkah Potter to beat the buzzer in the third frame, and Alex Taylor with a basket with two minutes remaining in the game to make it 34-28, rounded out the Ironton scoring.

Puckett, the four-time Associated Press all-district honoree in her final game at Oak Hill, poured in 15 points on three threes and three deuces -- and single-handedly kept the Lady Oaks in the game.

She scored two-thirds of those 15 in the second half, including a pair of baskets to put the Lady Oaks ahead 24-20 with four-and-a-half left in the period.

“I thought we made some adjustments at halftime to come out and attack the rim,” said Hale. “Rebecca Puckett came out in the second half and did a great job for us.”

After Morris made her three, with 47 seconds left in the second quarter, the Tigers endured a 6:12 scoring drought and trailed 26-20 to tie their largest deficit of the game.

But an Elswick field goal and two free throws, and Potter’s buzzer-beater from the right corner, brought Ironton to within 28-26 following the third.

An Elswick foul shot, with 6:07 remaining, gave the Tigers their smallest deficit (28-27) since they trailed 8-7 for Oak Hill’s initial lead.

Ironton outscored Oak Hill in all four quarters, and limited the Lady Oaks to single digits except the dozen in the third.

Ironton also overcame 27 turnovers, including 17 in the first half against the patented Oak Hill pressure.

However, that defensive pressure lacked the Lady Oaks’ usual offensive scoring punch behind it.

Breanna Butler bagged a three to tie at 3-3, offsetting an old-fashioned three-point play by Elswick off a rebound putback.

Taylor Hale hit a three from the right wing to make it 7-6, then Lakin Caudill came up with a goal to give the Lady Oaks the lead.

Their eight points in the second stanza came courtesy of threes by Strite and Puckett, sandwiched around a Puckett bucket at the two-minute mark.

The two triples trimmed the Ironton advantage from four (12-8 and 17-13) to one (12-11 and 17-16) both times.

The Tigers held a one-to-four point cushion throughout the quarter, and Morris maintained a four-point halftime edge (20-16) thanks to her long-range shot.

But Puckett answered just 30 seconds into the second half to make it a one-point (20-19) game again.

Karissa Adkins added a free throw for the second of the game’s two ties, then Butler’s jumper (26-20) gave the Lady Oaks their largest lead at six.

Only this time, Ironton erased it, and dashed Oak Hill’s hopes for a repeat regional championship.

In addition to Puckett and Taylor Butler, it marked the final game for the Division III Associated Press Southeast District Player of the Year Adkins -- who scored just the one freebie in the third.

Adkins and Puckett pulled down five rebounds apiece.

Coach Hale had nothing but good things to say about the incredible run of his senior trio.

“Our three seniors…#045;what an outstanding career they have had,” he said. “Two of them are playing in their third regional final and we’ve been all the way to the state championship game. I’m proud of them. You don’t do what we do and not be proud of them.”

Adkins, a four-year Lady Oak, was a staggering 87-13 in exactly a century mark for games played.

Puckett played her final two years at Oak Hill, and fell into her friend and fellow senior Adkins’ arms with a somber embrace as she came off the court.

Hale said it was a tearful Lady Oaks’ locker room afterward, and understandably so.

But, in time, the Lady Oaks can reflect back on what was indeed their year.

“They’re hurting in the locker room right now, and our community will be hurting for a little bit, but we’re real proud of their effort and how well they approach things and how they look at things,” said Hale. “I’m super proud of them. We’ve had abulls-eye on our backs the whole year throughout our conference and in the tournament, and just to take that on each and every day, I’m real proud of how they handled themselves.”

[ballfan13]

Congrats to Ironton. Looks like I-ton is going to experience a year like Oak Hill did last yr with their girls/boys teams both at state. Good luck and show SE Ohio proud. That said, should Oak Hill or any team for that matter call of their dogs because the teams within their league or schedule aren't able to keep up w/them? If that is the case, no team would be ready for tourney play at the end of the regular season. Most schools belong to leagues and those are the teams that make up the majority of the schedule. Oak Hill schedules teams outside of their league, such as Ironton, South Point, also play in the shoot out at Pickerington each year....and if they have to not go full strength because the teams they play aren't able to compete with them, most definitely they are not going to be at their best when tourney time comes.

[Nate_2010]

@WhiteWhiskers Apparently we can't run with the big dogs of D-III even though our girls was in State Championship last year, our girls are always outstanding and just about every year we are at the Convo. So I guess we can't run with big dogs at all lol. Oh and did I fail to mention that our boys had an undefeated regular season along with the girls and the football team as well?

[sportnut]

Number one, Norm had to change divisions to win it and when he came back to division 3 he was one and done. Number
two, the girls should've beat you the first time. You got your butts kicked so get over it. Let's play some softball now. Face it, our girls are ruff and tuff and your girls are just GIRLS, FLUFFY GIRLS. From Mayberry @ that. And like you said your self. The best team did win it....SWEETHEART.