Red Devils forge victory over Ironton with decisive fourth quarter
Dec. 23—IRONTON — Before Russell travels to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, next week, it still had a mountain to climb in the fourth quarter on Thursday night.
The Red Devils made the steady ascent with defense over the final eight minutes to emerge from a close game against Ironton.
The Fighting Tigers did not score a point in the first 6:39 of the closing frame and Russell pulled away for a 53-47 win at the Harold Conley Sports Center in the finale of the Ironton Classic.
Russell coach Derek Cooksey said Gavin Carter has taken on the role of lock-down defender. Carson Blum led the guards in an effort to hold the Fighting Tigers' leading scorer through their first three games, Shaun Terry, to seven points.
"We have taken on that defensive mentality," Cooksey said. "We knew it would be a tough one tonight. It seemed like every time we had a little spurt offensively, they went on a spurt. I think in the fourth quarter, we kind of wore them down. They started late this season. Hat's off to our kids. It's not one individual. I know our offense flows through Damon Charles, but we have a lot of guards that are moving the ball really well."
Neither team could gain much separation through the first three quarters. Russell held the largest advantage during that time frame, a 15-9 lead late in the opening stanza. Ironton grabbed a slim lead with a minute remaining before halftime.
Blum drained a wing 3 to send the Red Devils to the locker room ahead 25-24 at the break.
Russell won the rebounding battle, 30-19, and matched, and at times exceeded, Ironton's physicality.
"It's tough to play here," Cooksey said. "There were no freebies underneath (the basket). and tonight, we were able to establish our defense from that perspective."
The third quarter featured four ties. Blum and Tigers forward Ethan White exchanged triples early in the frame to knot the score. Charles scored on the Red Devils' next three possessions to match Ironton's buckets on the other end of the floor.
Caleb Rimmer hit in the lane to end the period and gave Russell the lead for good.
The Red Devils opened the fourth with a 9-0 surge. All seven of Russell's free throw attempts happened in the final stanza and Charles scored his team's final six points. It was enough to hold off a pair of Tiger triples in the final minute to set the final margin.
Ironton's rotation consists mainly of football players, who are just three weeks removed from playing in a state championship game.
Coach Chris Barnes said Ironton's preseason preparation happens in real time during games that count. The Tigers start their Ohio Valley Conference play next week and will continue to shake off the basketball rust.
"To me, we are where most teams are in the third week of November," Barnes said. "I don't know if we can play four quarters hard yet, and on back-to-back nights. We've had about 10 practices and four games. We are just working our way out of preseason mode.
"We are still learning," he added. "Our guards are still sophomores. They are really good. The last two nights we have faced a really good big with Hurricane (West Virginia, on Wednesday night) and Charles. We are having a little trouble adjusting to that. It's good for us. It will help us in our league."
Russell had two eighth-graders, Elijah Neel and Rimmer, on the floor at the end of the game. Cooksey said the younger players have meshed well with the upperclassmen and have already gained valuable experience.
"The seniors have done a great job," Cooksey said. "Last year's group was special. The seniors this year have waited for their opportunity. They have carried that torch on, and they want to pass it on to the younger ones. We have two eighth-graders, but they aren't, as far as playing the game of basketball. They have played so much growing up. We are deeper than we've been in a couple of years."
Charles posted a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Rimmer added a big night in the lane with 13 points and eight boards. Blum finished with 10 points.
With Charles and Rimmer together in the post, Russell (8-3) becomes even more potent offensively.
"There aren't too many teams, especially in our region, which have our 1-2 punch as far as the post area," Cooksey said. "When they are together, they are a load down low, and we will keep exploiting that aspect."
Ironton (2-2) also had a double-double player in White. The senior posted 18 points and 11 rebounds. Braden Schreck was also in double figures with 11.
Charles and White were named the game's Most Valuable Player for their respective teams.
"I told him that he should be a double-double guy," Barnes said of White. "He can do that every single night. He played well against Russell, and he played well (on Wednesday night against Hurricane). He's one of our seniors and we look to him for leadership."
The Fighting Tigers took the Redskins to overtime to end the first night of the Ironton Classic and fought with the Red Devils for three quarters. The two-day showcase brought several talented teams to the area and Barnes hopes the Tigers will prosper from playing two tough games.
"We are still not rebounding very well," Barnes said. "That's an adjustment that we have had to make. Some of our guys that have done that in the past aren't here anymore and now other guys have to step up. The last two games we have been hurt on the offensive glass. ... We just have to keep working and get in basketball shape. We are playing a lot better at this time than we were last year."
Russell will compete in the King of the Smokies Tournament in Pigeon Forge on Dec. 27-29.
RUSSELL FG FT REB TP
Quinn 0-1 0-0 0 0
Blum 4-6 0-0 2 10
G. Carter 3-6 0-0 1 7
Rimmer 6-14 1-2 8 13
Charles 8-13 2-4 12 18
Neel 2-6 0-1 2 5
Fleming 0-1 0-0 0 0
Z. Carter 0-0 0-0 0 0
Team 5
TOTALS 23-47 3-7 30 53
FG Pct: 48.9. FT Pct: 42.9. 3-point FGs: 4-10 (Quinn 0-1, Blum 2-4, G.Carter 1-1. Charles 0-1, Neel 1-3) PF: 9. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 6
IRONTON FG FT REB TP
Barnes 1-2 0-0 0 2
Terry 3-10 0-0 2 7
Wilson 1-4 0-0 0 3
Schreck 4-9 3-6 4 11
White 8-13 0-0 11 18
Felder 1-1 0-0 1 3
Carpenter 1-2 0-0 0 3
Team 1
TOTALS 19-41 3-6 19 47
FG Pct: 46.3. FT Pct: 50.0. 3-point FGs: 6-15 (Barnes 0-1, Terry 1-3, Wilson 1-3, White 2-5, Felder 1-1, Carpenter 1-2) PF: 11. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 6.
RUSSELL 15 10 15 13 — 53
IRONTON 11 13 15 8 — 47
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