By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

CHESAPEAKE — It’s a sequel of the movie “Hot Shots” starring the Chesapeake Panthers.

Shooting almost 53 percent from the field, the Panthers rolled past the Huntington (W.Va.) St. Joe Fighting Irish 85-43 Wednesday.

The main sharp shooters for the Panthers were Nathan Copley and Austin McMaster.

Copley was 8 of 9 from the field as he scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. McMaster hit 9 of 15 shots plus 5 of 5 from the line as he scored 23 points and had nine rebounds.

“We shot the ball well for three quarters,” said Chesapeake coach Ryan Davis. “We didn’t have Colin but the other kids picked up the slack.”

The Panthers shot 31of 59 from the field for the game. They were 20 of 32 from the line but 13 of 14 over the first three quarters.

Brandon Noble added 11 points as Chesapeake improved to 15-1.

The Panthers’ lopsided win came despite the absence of 6-foot-6 center Colin Kennedy who missed the game due to illness.

Chesapeake took control from the outset as McMaster scored 12 points and Copley six as they raced to a 26-12 lead.

The dynamic duo scored seven points each in the second quarter as the Panthers exploded for 28 points and built a 54-18 halftime cushion.

The Panthers continued to roll in the third quarter as Copley got seven points and the lead grew to 74-27.

Defensively, the Panthers forced the Irish into 22 turnovers while committing only two.

Payne Meadows scored nine points to lead Huntington St. Joe (7-11).

Chesapeake hosts Fairland Friday in a battle for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers have a one-game lead over the Dragons.

Hunt. St. Joe 12 6 9 16 = 43

Chesapeake 26 28 20 11 = 85

HUNTINGTON ST. JOSEPH (7-11): Chris Collinsworth 2 0 0-0 4, Phil Harris 0 2 1-2 7, Taylor Lockhart 2 0 1-2 5, Paul Dransfeld 3 0 0-0 6, Payne Meadows 3 1 0-0 9, Anthony Rabel 1 0 0-0 2, Nick Turner 1 1 1-2 6, Michael Mays 0 0 0-1 0, Zach Daughtery 1 0 0-0 2, Lakin Brooks 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 18-42 3-7 43. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Collinsworth, Dransfeld. Rebounds: 29. Turnovers: 22.

CHESAPEAKE (15-1): Nick Duffield 0 0 0-0 0, Nathan Copley 7 1 3-4 20, Taylor Banaei 0 0 4-6 4, Patrick Hintz 3 0 1-2 7, Mike Walters 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Lindsey 1 0 0-0 2, Eric Kennedy 1 2 1-2 9, Brandon Noble 3 0 5-6 11, Nate Jones 1 0 1-3 3, Javon Thompson 2 0 0-0 4, Austin McMaster 9 0 5-5 23, Chad Meadows 1 0 0-0 2, Seth Skeens 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 31-59 20-32 85. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 3-12. Rebounds: 37 (Copley 11, McMaster 9). Turnovers: 2.