Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

JACKSON — The beginning and end weren’t bad, but the between was a problem.
The South Point Pointers scored 31 total points in the first and fourth quarters. Unfortunately, the had just six points each in the second and third quarters as they lost 51-43 to the Alexander Spartans in the Division III sectional tournament on Saturday.
“We just couldn’t score. The second quarter killed us,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise. “We got within nine in the fourth quarter, but we lost the Davidson kid and he hit a 3-pointer and that was the difference.”
Austin Webb had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead the Pointers. Jared Whitt scored 12 points.
Whitt and Douglas Shaffer each made two 3-point goals.
Alexander (12-10) had three players in double figures. Ryan Davidson scored 14, J.K. Kearns 13 and Stone Markins-Irwin 10.
Luke Kish and Dylan Mecum scored four points each as the Spartans took a scant 13-12 first quarter lead.
Whitt hit a pair of 3-pointers and two free throws while Webb scored four points to account for the South Point scoring.
Alexander opened up a 31-18 halftime lead as Davidson hit a 3-poitner and scored eight points and five different players scored in the second quarter.
Shaffer made a 3-pointer and Webb a three-point play in the quarter.
Although there wasn’t much scoring in the third quarter, the Spartans extended their lead to 40-24 as Mecum scored four more points.
Shaffer had another trey as the Pointers scored just six points again in the third quarter.
The scoring pace finally picked up in the fourth quarter as Alexander outscored the Pointers 21-19.
Kearns scored eight points including 6-of-6 at the foul line. Davidson hit a 3-pointers and scored seven points and Markins-Irwin added six points.
Webb scored half his points in the fourth quarter and the Pointers were 7-of-16 from the foul line as they scored 19 points.
Rogers Staggs was 3-of-6, Whitt 2-of-4, Dustin McCarty 1-of-2 and Webb 1-of-3 from the line.
The Pointers played their final three games without leading scorer Tayshaun Fox.
South Point    12    6    6    19    =    43
Alexander    13    18    9    21    =    61
SOUTH POINT (10-14): Chance Gunther 0 0 0-0 0, Derek McCarty 0 0 0-0 0, Roger Staggs 0 0 4-8 4, Douglas Shaffer 0 2 0-0 6, Jared Whitt 1 2 4-6 12, Brody Blackwell 1 0 0-0 2, Dustin McCarty 0 0 1-2 1, Austin Webb 8 0 2-4 18. Totals: 10 4 11-20 43. Rebounds: 6-O, 15-D = 21 (Webb 8). Assists: 12 (Gunther 5). Steals: 2 (Gunther 2). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Whitt.
ALEXANDER (12-10): J.K. Kearns 2 1 6-6 13, Ryan Davidson 3 2 2-3 14, Luke Kish 4 0 0-1 8, Matt Brown 1 0 1-1 3, Stone Markins-Irwin 4 0 2-2 10, Dylan Mecum 4 0 0-0 8, Kam Riley 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Terry 2 0 1-2 5. Totals: 20 3 12-15 61. Fouls: 15. Fouled out; None.