By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

COAL GROVE — Just when it looked like things were turning bad for the South Point Pointers, something good happened instead.

Leading scorer Brandon Barnes tweaked his sprained ankle in the third quarter after getting more than half their points in the first half.

But instead of folding, the Pointers rallied and slipped past the Coal Grove Hornets 54-52 Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“Brandon got hurt in the third quarter and we went on a 13-2 run. We had some kids step up. We had a good effort and made a good comeback,” said Pointers’ coach Chris Barnes.

Brandon Barnes scored 14 points in the first half as the Pointers trailed 26-24.

When he got hurt, the Pointers stormed back to go up 37-33.

Coal Grove led by 3 points with 40 seconds left but missed two foul shots. Kurt Adams hit a 3-pointer to tie the game and then Austin Jeffreys came up with a steal and turned it into a layup with 10 seconds left to give South Point a 54-52 lead.

The Hornets failed to connect on a shot from the lane as time ran out.

“Kurt Adams hit some big shots and both Tre (Campbell) and Josh (Payne) did a nice job on the glass,” said coach Barnes.

Brandon Barnes led the Pointers (8-9, 4-5) with 16 points. Adams — who had 9 points in the fourth quarter — had a career-high 15 points while Jeffreys scored 13. Payne had 9 rebounds and Campbell 7.

Conor Markins led Coal Grove (12-7, 4-5) with a game-high 18 points. Jordan Beals scored 14 and Alex Bare added 10.

On Tuesday, Coal Grove hosts Fairland and South Point visits River Valley.

South Point 17 7 13 17 = 54

Coal Grove 15 11 7 19 = 52

SOUTH POINT (8-9, 4-5): Austin Jeffreys 5 1 0-0 13, Tre Campbell 1 0 0-0 2, Austin Majher 0 1 1-2, James Leonard 0 0 0-0 0, Josh Payne 1 1 0-0 2, Brandon Barnes 6 1 1-2 16, Kurt Adams 1 4 1-2 15, Brandon Boggs 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 15 7 3-6 54. Fouls: 20, Fouled out: Payne.

COAL GROVE (12-7, 4-5): Jordan Beals 3 2 2-2 14, Alex Bare 4 0 2-6 10, Colten Bryant 0 0 0-0 0, Isaiah Gunther 0 0 0-0 0, Conor Markins 3 2 6-9 18, Bryan Steals 2 0 2-4 6, Kyle Estep 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Pauley 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 14 4 12-21 52. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.