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WAVERLY — No matter the score, no matter how much time remained on the clock and no matter the circumstances, Zane Trace never believed it had a chance to lose on Monday.
Throughout much of the evening, Ironton owned a lead and kept the Pioneers to within an arm’s length at five-to-nine points in a Division V district semifinal.
But when the rubber met the road in the fourth quarter, Zane Trace (20-4) just simply refused to back down and, as cliche as it sounds, that was the difference between a 52-45 win over Ironton and a season-ending loss.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
“I think our guys just consistently believed that we were going to win,” Zane Trace coach Tyler Cassidy said. “If we didn’t have the kind of mental toughness that we’ve developed throughout the season, that fourth quarter wouldn’t be possible. But these kids have really bought into the culture we’ve tried to create. We just believe we can do things collectively and have success. We just never wavered.”
Junior Gunnar McCullough, without question, spearheaded the team’s efforts.
With a never-ending battery, McCullough was seemingly everywhere, battling for rebounds, diving for loose balls and scoring in the post.
He finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. And his quiet, yet steady leadership set the tone all night long.
“He’s crucial. We try to work with Gunnar and his vocal leadership because he’s just such a great kid,” Cassidy said. “He’s easy to coach and he works hard every single day in practice. It’s a habit for him. If he isn’t rebounding it, he keeps it alive and someone else comes in and is able to secure a rebound. His effort has been consistent throughout the year, but it looked like tonight, he even had a little bit of extra effort and toughness. He was just so crucial tonight.”
McCullough got the night’s scoring started with 6:45 to go in the first quarter. Grady Stewart then added to the lead with a lay-in and a 3-ball, making it 7-0 with 4:09 to play.
But that’s when Ironton (15-8) awoke from its slumber.
The Fighting Tigers got five straight points from Maddix Markel before Bryce Markins dialed long distance to give them their first lead at 8-7. Stewart answered with an old-fashioned three-point play to make it 10-8 in ZT’s favor but Ironton was able to take a 15-13 advantage when Braden Schreck sank two free throws just before the start of the second.
That lead change was the last until midway through the fourth.
Schreck scored to begin the second, making it 17-13, before Stewart hit a 3 to bring ZT back to within one. Later, Schreck got a 3-ball to fall just before teammate Markel Cotton swished a runner, giving Ironton a 27-19 edge.
That eight-point lead would stay intact at halftime at 29-21.
A similar story unfolded in the third quarter. Ironton continued to nurse an eight–to-10-point lead throughout before seizing a 39-33 lead going into the final eight minutes.
That’s, however, when the wheels fell off.
ZT’s Landen Jarrell started things off with a triple, cutting the deficit to 39-36, before scoring again at the 5:11 mark for a 39-38 count. McCullough then tied the game by hitting the back end of two free throws and then scored with four minutes left, putting the Pioneers in front at 41-40.
Schreck countered with a bucket of his own, putting the Tigers briefly back in front, but Ezra Rippeth drilled a momentum-shifting 3 on the other end, putting ZT ahead 44-42 with 2:22 remaining.
“If Ezra doesn’t play like he did, we don’t win,” Cassidy said. “He’s kind of had his moments. We got down against Logan Elm and that overtime loss, maybe, helped us tonight. Ezra scored nine of our points in the fourth quarter and overtime. He pushed it to overtime and then had all of our points in overtime. From that experience of that game, he came in tonight and you saw the same aggressiveness. He wasn’t scared to shoot. That 3 in transition, you could see the momentum in the place completely shift.”
Jarrell scored again with 1:50 remaining for a 46-42 score and hit one of two free throws to push the lead to five.
Meanwhile, the Tigers were mightily struggling on the offensive end. ZT’s Landon Robinson was tasked with guarding Ironton’s Braden Shreck, the team’s leading scorer.
That’s no small task.
But he did it to perfection in the second half, allowing the Pioneers to complete a comeback.
“Landon will do whatever we ask him to do,” Cassidy said. “He does everything for us, handling the basketball, being a great passer, being able to knock down shots when we need it … In our first tournament game, he hit five 3’s in the second half. Tonight, he kind of struggled offensively. But it’s because he was working his tail off defensively. He’s just a selfless leader.”
Ironton’s Tyler Roach got a 3-ball to fall, cutting the Pioneers’ edge to 47-45. But it was a last ditch effort as McCullough, Rippeth and Jarrell combined to go 7-for-8 at the charity stripe throughout the next 40 seconds to put the game out of reach and send Kinnikinnick back to Athens.
Following McCullough’s final stat line was Jarrell, who finished with 15 points. Stewart added 14 points, six rebounds and three assists, and Rippeth finished with seven points — all in the second half.
Ironton was paced by Markins, who tallied 15 points on five 3-point field goals. Schreck had 11 points and three assists, and Maddix Markel added 10 points and six boards.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
While the Fighting Tigers’ season comes to a close, the Pioneers advance to a Division V district final at 6:15 p.m., Friday at Ohio University’s Convocation Center.
That night, Zane Trace will match up with one-loss Minford, who beat South Point by a 72-44 final to advance on Monday.
There’s no question that the Pioneers will be facing a test, and one as stout as they come.
But they understand what to expect and they’ll be ready to give the Falcons everything they have.
“We know it’s going to be a great challenge,” Cassidy said. “We have to be able to handle the pressure. Minford has scored more points because of their defense than their actual offense all season long. So first and foremost, we’re going to have to take care of the basketball and be tough with it. And we have to have a good possession every time down the floor. We’ll come up with a game plan and try to do what we feel gives us the best chance. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity.”
BOX SCORE
Zane Trace: 13-8-12-19 — 52
Ironton: 15-14-10-6 — 45
Zane Trace: 17-38 FG, 12-19 FT, 6-17 3pt., 23 rebounds (McCullough 8), 6 turnovers, 12 assists (McCullough 5). Scoring: McCullough 16, Jarrell 15, Stewart 14, Rippeth 7.
Ironton: 16-43 FG, 5-8 FT, 8-21 3pt., 24 rebounds (Shreck 6, Cotton 6), 12 turnovers, 10 assists (Schreck 3, Barnes 3). Scoring: Markins 15, Schreck 11, Markel 10, Layne 4, Roach 3, Cotton 2.
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