CHESAPEAKE – Coach Norm Persin didn’t think his team played well.

Wednesday, February 06, 2002

CHESAPEAKE – Coach Norm Persin didn’t think his team played well. He can’t convince the Coal Grove Hornets.

Persin was concerned about his team playing the Hornets after two tough games last weekend against Rock Hill and Division IV power Reedsville Eastern. But the Panthers responded with a 56-28 Ohio Valley Conference win Tuesday.

"We played bad the first half. We played hard Friday and Saturday, so I knew it would be hard to come back and play well," Persin said. "But we played better the second half and we played good defense the whole game."

Nick Karle had 14 points and four assists and Brad Fulton 10 points and three steals to lead the Panthers, 13-4 overall and tied with South Point for first place at 5-1.

Tommie Hill had five rebounds and six assists while Aaron Gossett grabbed four rebounds.

Coal Grove (3-15, 0-7) was paced by Brandon Waller with a game-high 15 points.

The slow-paced game had Chesapeake up 8-3 after the first quarter. Fulton had six points the second quarter as the Panthers led 18-12 at the break.

Karle scored eight points the third quarter as Chesapeake picked up the pace and outscored the Hornets 18-2 to take a comfortable 36-14 lead.

Chesapeake, the defending OVC champion, plays at preseason favorite South Point Friday in a game that could decide the league championship.

Coal Grove 3 9 2 14 – 28

Chesapeake 8 10 18 20 – 56

COAL GROVE (3-15, 0-7): Zac Nance 0 0 2-2 2, J. J. Hunt 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Sexton 1 0 3-5 5, Justin Gibson 2 0-0 4, Caleb Potter 0 0 0-2 0, Brandon Waller 3 2 3-5 15, Eric Tackett 0 0 0-0 0, Tommy Pemberton 1 0-0 2, Jimmy Lemon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7 2 8-15 28. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (13-4, 5-1): Adam Skeens 2 0 2-4 6, Aaron Gossett 1 0 0-2 2, Nick Karle 7 0 0-0 14, T. R. Hannan 1 1 0-0 5, Daniel Thompson 0 1 0-2 3, Timmy Thacker 0 0 0-0 0, Justin Hamlin 0 0 1-2 1, Luke Beach 2 0 1-2 5, Brad Fulton 4 0 2-2 10, Tendoy Huffman 0 1 0-0 3, Tommie Hill 2 1 0-0 7, Matt Rucker 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 4 6-14 56. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 25 (Hill 5, Gossett 4). Assists: 16 (Hill 6, Karle 4). Steals: 8 (Fulton 3). Turnovers: 8.

Oak Hill 54, Rock Hill 52

PEDRO – The Rock Hill Redmen might have opted to shoot their foul shots from behind the 3-pointer line.

The Redmen hit nine 3-pointers but were just 5 for 16 from the foul line as they lost a heartbreaking 54-52 decision to the Oak Hill Oaks Tuesday.

The loss wasted a 30-point performance by Rock Hill’s David Schug who hit five 3-pointers. Isaac Kitchen had 12 points on four 3-pointers.

Josh Davis scored 22 points and Derrick Brisker 19 to lead the Oaks.

Schug hit three 3-pointers the first quarter as Rock Hill took a 12-8 lead.

Kitchen had a pair of 3-pointers and Schug also scored nine points to account for all of Rock Hill’s points the second quarter, but Davis had 13 points to get the Oaks within 30-28 at the half.

Davis had six more points the third quarter as Oak Hill tied the game at 41-41. The Redmen then made just 3-of-9 from the line the fourth quarter as Oak Hill came away with the win.

In the reserve game, Rock Hill won 41-27 as Derrick Martin scored 18 and Shawn Mullins 11 points.

Oak Hill 8 20 13 13 – 54

Rock Hill 12 18 11 11 – 52

OAK HILL: Derrick Brisker 3 2 7-8 19, Jimmy Dan Persin 2 0 1-4 5, Chris Needham 1 0 0-2 2, John Allen 2 0 0-0 4, Josh Davis 4 3 5-7 22, Carl Miller 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 12 5 13-21 54. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.

ROCK HILL (10-7): Isaac Kitchen 0 4 0-0 12, Ryan Townsend 0 0 1-2 1, Donald Cade 0 0 1-2 1, Rickie McDonie 0 0 0-0 0, George Mullins 1 0 1-5 3, Roger Joseph 1 0 1-4 3, Derrick Martin 1 0 0-0 2, David Schug 7 5 1-3 30. Totals: 9 9 5-16 52. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Townsend.