Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — It was all about balance.

The Coal Grove Hornets almost had six players in double figures as they routed the River Valley Raiders 76-52 Friday in the semifinals of the Dr. Paulus Tournament.

Game MVP Brandon Adkins scored 15 points to lead four Hornets in double figures.

Sean Paulus — son of Dr. Paulus — scored 13 points, D.J. Miller had 12 points, Joe Akers 11 and both Isaiah Gunther and Austen Pleasants scored 9 points each for Coal Grove (4-2).

Tyler Twyman scored 23 points to lead River Valley.

Coal Grove played Minford in the tournament title game on Saturday. Minford beat Russell, Ky., 88-52.

Akers scored 6 points in the first quarter as Coal Grove took a 19-12 lead. Seann Roberts and Twyman combined for 10 points.

Adkins had 8 points and Akers scored 5 more in the second quarter as Coal Grove opened up a 38-25 halftime lead. Twyman got 7 of River Valley’s 13 points in the quarter.

Paulus pumped in 8 points in the third quarter to offset 7 points by Twyman as Coal Grove extended the lead to 55-37.

Miller matched Paulus by scoring 8 points in the fourth quarter as Coal Grove won going away.

River Valley 12 13 12 15 = 52

Coal Grove 19 19 17 21 = 76

RIVER VALLEY (NA): Dayton Hardway 2 0 2-2 6, Tyler Twyman 5 2 7-9 23, Rhodes 0 1 0-0 3, John Qualls 3 0 2-3 8, Justin Rusk 1 0 0-0 2, Seann Roberts 4 0 0-0 8, Zach Morris 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 16 3 11-14 52. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

COAL GROVE (4-2): Travis Carey 1 0 0-0 2, Jonathan Joseph 0 0 0-0 0, Sean Paulus 3 2 1-2 13, Isaiah Gunther 2 1 2-2 9, Brandon Adkins 7 0 1-2 15, D.J. Miller 4 1 1-1 12, Joe Akers 4 0 3-5 11, Conor Markins 1 1 0-0 5, Austen Pleasants 4 0 1-2 9, Jacob Pierce 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 26 5 9-14 76. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.