Looks aren’t everything, unless you’re trying to shoot a basketball.

The Coal Grove Hornets didn’t like the looks of the Boyd County (Ky.) Lions, so took them away and rolled to a 79-55 win Friday in the semifinals of the Dr. Paulus Heart of Champions tournament.

Coal Grove trailed early as the Lions hit 7-of-13 first quarter shots. But a defensive switch left the Lions shooting just 3-of-14 in the second quarter as the Hornets roared back to take a 36-23 halftime lead.

“We were playing zone for awhile and they were getting open looks,” said Hornets’ coach Randy Ward. “Then we went to a man-to-man and they weren’t getting the looks. We started playing better.”

Coal Grove trailed 14-8 with 1:28 left in the first quarter. The Hornets then got layups by Dane Haukedahl and Wayne Sparks to close the quarter and ignite what became a 24-2 run.

After a layup by Zach Messer got the Lions on the scoreboard in the second quarter, Coal Grove went on 10-0 run capped by a layup and 15-footer by Cody Damron and it was 32-16.

Boyd County (3-5) got within 32-21 on a put-back by Trevor Hall, but a short jumper by Evan Ferguson and a steal and layup by Eric Edens put the Hornets up 36-23 at the break.

“We just starting sticking the ball in the hole. We were getting easy shots and good shots,” said Ward.

The Hornets were 5-of-15 from the field in the first quarter and 11-of-17 in the second quarter.

Boyd County made one final run early in the third quarter.

Hall hit a triple with 4:36 on the clock to cut the deficit to 39-33, but three-point plays by Darmon and Ferguson highlighted an 18-2 run to end the quarter as the lead grew to 57-37.

The Hornets (2-4) had four players in double figures led by Devin Monnier had 18 points and eight rebounds.

Edens had 14 points and three steals, Ferguson 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals, and Damron added 11 points.

Hall scored 13 for the Lions.

In the other semifinal game, Menifee County (Ky.) edged Raceland (Ky.) 68-65. Menifee played Coal Grove in the championship game Saturday, a rematch of a game earlier this season won by Menifee 73-67 in overtime.

Boyd County 14 9 14 18 = 55

Coal Grove 12 24 21 22 = 79

BOYD COUNTY (3-5): Wes Steele 0 1 0-0 3, Eric Gindlesperger 0 0 0-0 0, Zach Wilson 2 1 2-3 9, Trevor Hall 5 1 0-0 13, Andy Barrett 2 0 0-2 4, Levi Pennington 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Miller 0 0 0-0 0, Zach Messer 1 0 0-2 2, Austin Rankin 1 1 2-4 7, Jarred Spicer 2 0 0-0 4, Trey Salisbury 1 0 2-2 4, Brandon Lowe 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Mayse 0 0 2-4 2, Eli Malloy 0 0 3-4 3. Totals: 20-54 11-21 55. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 4-20. Rebounds: 12-18=30 (Hall 6, Wilson 4, Gindlesperger 4). Assists: 6 (Wilson 2, Steele 2). Steals: 5. Turnovers: 24.

COAL GROVE (2-4): Evan Ferguson 4 0 5-5 13, Devin Monnier 8 0 2-2 18, Dan Haukedahl 2 0 1-2 5, Cody Damron 4 0 3-3 11, Shannon Goodwin 1 0 2-2 4, Eric Edens 6 0 2-3 14, Wayne Sparks 3 0 0-0 6, Rye Goodwin 2 0 0-0 4, Nate Sullivan 0 0 1-2 1, Jacob Pauley 0 0 1-2 1, Cam Stevens 0 0 0-0 0, Colton Bryant 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 30-58 17-21 79. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 0-5. Rebounds: 10-22=32 (Monnier 8, Ferguson 4). Assists: 9 (Ferguson 3). Steals: 12 (Ferguson 3, Edens 3, Monnier 3). Turnovers: 14.