Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CHESAPEAKE — With the offense seemingly down, Conor Markins gave it a real pick-me-up.

Markins scored 21 points to help the Coal Grove Hornets beat the Eastern Brown Warriors 51-43 Saturday in the fifth annual Beast of the Southeast.

Coal Grove (7-4) was coming off a 67-57 win on Friday over Fairland in a game that saw the Hornets shoot 57 percent,

But the Hornets struggled with their offense before Markins got hot in the third quarter to help trigger the win.

Nathan Scott scored 21 points for the Warriors (9-2).

Markins had five points in the first quarter to match Eastern Brown’s total and the Hornets led 10-5.

Coal Grove stretched the lead to 21-13 at the half.

Markins scored nine points in the third quarter including a 3-pointer and Sean Paulus also hit a key triple as Coal Grove opened up a 37-24 lead.

The Hornets had just one field goal in the fourth quarter — a 3-pointer by Isaiah Gunther — as Eastern Brown elected to foul and force Coal Grove to make free throws.

Coal Grove was just 11-of-25 but the lead was too much for Eastern Brown to overcome despite 11 points by Scott.

Coal Grove 10 11 16 14 = 51

Eastern Brown 5 8 11 19 = 43

COAL GROVE (7-4): Jonathan Joseph 0 0 0-2 0, Sean Paulus 2 1 0-0 7, Isaiah Gunther 0 1 1-3 4, Brandon Adkins 0 0 6-12 6, D.J. Miller 1 1 0-3 5, Joe Akers 2 0 2-2 6, Conor Markins 4 2 7-12 21, Austen Pleasants 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 10 5 16-34 51. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

EASTERN BROWN (9-2): Curtis Burns 0 3 0-0 9, Nathan Scott 9 1 0-0 21, Jonathan Stivers 0 0 1-2 1, Riley Prine 3 0 2-2 8, Mickey Hundley 2 0 0-0 4, Marcus Day 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Doss 0 0 0-0 0, Grant McIntosh 0 0 0-0 0, Layne Pickerill 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 4 3-4 43. Fouls: 28. Fouled out: Scott, Stivers.