SOUTH POINT — They starter with offense and finished with defense.

The combination proved successful as the South Point Lady Pointers beat the Lucasville Valley Lady Indians 51-43 Saturday in a non-league game.

“We jumped on them early and then our defense took over,” Lady Pointers coach Dave Adams said.

“We got used to scoring quick, but then we got impatient on offense and our shots didn’t fall. But we played well defensively. We’ve been playing good defense.”

South Point (6-2) had three players in double figures as Sarah Lee scored 12 points, Missy Wheeler 11 and T’Ann Mayo 10.

Lucasville Valley (3-5) was led by Jordan Arbaugh with 12 points.

Wheeler and Lee scored 6 points each while Mayo had 5 points including a 3-pointer as South Point raced to a 21-9 lead.

The Lady Pointers could manage only 7 points in the second quarter — Lee had 4 — and Valley hit a pair of 3-pointers to cut the gap to 28-17 at the half.

The Lady Indians continued to battle back as Jordan Arbaugh scored 5 points and Michelle Mains 4 and narrow the Lady Pointers lead to 39-31.

But in the fourth quarter, Wheeler sank 3 of 4 from the foul line down the stretch and Ericka Leighty hit two foul shots to stop a late Valley run and help preserve the win.

“Wheeler and Leighty hit some clutch shots,” said Adams.

South Point hosts Ironton today and visits Fairland Thursday in a key Ohio Valley Conference game.

Lucasville981412=43

South Point2171112=51

LUCASVILLE VALLEY (3-5): Michelle Mains 2 1 0-0 7, Beth Martin 2 0 3-6 7, Cassie Cox 2 0 0-0 4, Jamie Montgomery 0 1 0 3, Haley Merritt 1 0 0 2, Courtney Merritt 1 2 0-0 8, Jordan Arbaugh 4 0 4-8 12,Brittany Hoover 0 0 0-1 0. Totals: 16-65 (4) 7-15 43. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

SOUTH POINT (6-2): Missy Wheeler 4 0 3-4 11, Caymie Collier 1 0 0-0 2, Mayo 2 2 0-0 10, Vanessa Rogers 1 0 0-2 2, Sarah Lee 7 0 1-3 15, Raven Blake 2 0 0-0 4, Tinesha Taylor 0 0 0-0 0, Ericka Leighty 0 0 5-8 5. Totals: 18 2 9-17 51. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.