The Chesapeake Panthers are starting to get the hang of this “playing defense” thing.

For the second straight game the Panthers turned in a strong defensive effort as they held the Southern Tornadoes to their lowest scoring output of the season with a 52-45 win Saturday night.

The defense forced 19 turnovers including three charging calls and held the Tornadoes to 18-of-46 shooting for 39 percent.

Chesapeake (9-3) was led offensively by Nathan Copley with 20 points — he hit four 3-pointers — and Kyle Webb with 19 points. Trent Saunders grabbed 10 rebounds and Copley had five assists.

Southern (11-3) got 17 points from Bryan Harris but Weston Roberts was held to eight points.

The Tornadoes took an early lead but Peter Hintz and Copley hit 3-pointers as the Panthers came back to take a 12-7 lead.

Sean Coppick scored six of his eight points in the second quarter as Southern got within 23-21 at the half.

Copley and Webb carried the Panthers in the third quarter but Southern got closer at 36-35 heading into the fourth quarter.

Southern trailed by two with less than a minute to play, but the Panthers converted 5-of-6 from the foul line to seal the win.

Southern was playing its second straight game without starter Cyle Rees who is out for at least three weeks with a broken hand.

Racine Southern 7 14 14 10 = 45

Chesapeake 12 11 13 16 = 52

RACINE SOUTHERN (11-3): Brad Brown 1 0 2-2 4, Taylor Deem 0 0 0-0 0, Sean Coppick 4 0 0-2 8, Dustin Salser 0 0 0-0 0, Bryan Harris 4 3 0-0 17, Michael Manual 3 0 0 -0 6, Weston Roberts 2 0 4-4 8, John Brauer 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 18-46 6-8 45. Fouls: 19. 3-point goals: 3. Rebounds: 20 (Roberts 6). Assists: 13 (Brown 3, Roberts 3, Deem 3). Steals: 3. Turnovers: 19.

CHESAPEAKE (9-3): Peter Hintz 0 1 2-5 5, Nathan Copley 2 4 4-4 20, Matt Angle 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Webb 7 1 2-6 19, Trent Saunders 1 0 4-6 6, Travis Zimmerman 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 17-52 12-21 52. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 6. Rebounds: 29 (Saunders 10). Assists: 16 (Copley 5). Steals: 5. Turnovers: 9.