By CHRIS DUNHAM

PDT Sports Writer

A quick start and a 14-point lead in the third quarter were not enough to lift Portsmouth to a road conference win Friday night.

The Trojans scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to fall at Ironton 62-55.

The loss was Portsmouth's second straight in SEOAL play, dropping them to 2-2 in the conference on the year.

Anthony Williams gave Portsmouth a 52-50 lead with 2:17 to play in overtime, but the FightingTigers went on a 6-0 run to take a 56-52 advantage.

A runner from Andrew Bendolph and a free throw from Williams got Portsmouth within one point with just under a minute to play. But the Trojans would not score again, as Ironton's Tommy Waginger made four free throws and Lukas Morris made a pair to close out the game.

Williams scored 11 points and pulled down ten rebounds for the Trojans. Bendolph had 10 with five assists. The duo combined for all seven of Portsmouth's overtime points.

Ironton took its first lead of the game with 3:47 to play in regulation when Jon Schweickart hit the second of two free throws to break a 43-43 tie.

With the game tied again at 46 Portsmouth stepped to the free throw line with a chance to take the lead, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Zach Link made a diving save of the miss before it went out of bounds, tossing it to a teammate to keep the Trojan possession alive.

Later in that sequence, Link knocked down a jump shot off a Williams assist to give the Trojans the lead at 48-46 with 1:30 to play.

Link scored nine and pulled down six rebounds, making plays to keep the Trojans in contention late. The senior forward had another offensive rebound in overtime with the Trojans down three, but was called for a travel when he couldn't keep his balance after contact from a Tige defender.

Ironton answered Link's score with 1:03 to play when Schweikart evened the game at 48.

The Trojans called a timeout to set up a play, but turned the ball over trying to work it inside to Williams with a half minute to play.

Ironton gathered the ball and called timeout to set a play of their own. Being attacked out of a perimeter weave, Link stripped the ball from an Ironton player. In the ensuing scramble, Ironton's Morris would take a shot from one knee, and Ironton would collect three offensive rebounds, getting off two more shots, before the horn sounded for regulation's end.

Portsmouth struggled on the boards, even after Ironton center Michael Lamb fouled out with 2:01 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Tigers held a 44-32 rebounding advantage, including the three offensive rebounds at the end of regulation.

Lamb led the Tigers with 17 points in just under three quarters of play. Schweickart added 16, while Waginger pitched in with 11.

Things started well for the Trojans, who jumped out to a 19-12 lead after a first quarter which they shot 58 percent from the field.

On the strength of junior guard Tory Horne's seven first half assists, the Trojans were able to gain a 31-21 halftime advantage.

Horne finished the game with 12 points and nine assists to lead Portsmouth. Two of Horne's assist went to Jacob Stevens for 3s. Stevens finished with 11 on the contest, nine of them from beyond the arc.

The Trojans return home today to face Minford.

Portsmouth head coach Josh Shoemaker was unavailable for comment following the contest.

CHRIS DUNHAM can be reached at chrisdunhamjr@aol.com.

Portsmouth 19 12 12 5 7 — 55

Ironton 11 10 16 11 14 — 62

Portsmouth—Horne 4 2 12, Stevens 3 2 11, Williams 5 1 11, Bendolph 4 0 10, Link 4 1 9, Cadogan 1 0 2. Totals 21 6 55.

Ironton—Lamb 8 1 17, Schweickart 7 2 16, Waginger 2 6 11, Morris 3 4 10, Queen 2 1 6, Edens 1 0 2. Totals 23 14 62.

3-pointers—Portsmouth 7 (Horne 2, Stevens 3, Bendolph 2); Ironton 2 (Waginger, Queen)

Records—Portsmouth 5-2 (2-2), Ironton 8-2 (4-0)