Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Talk about lending a helping hand.

The Coal Grove Hornets handed out 18 assists in an outstanding display of teamwork as they beat the Wayne County Pioneers 71-55 Wednesday in the St. Joseph Classic at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

D.J. Miller led the assistance program with five assists. He also had 12 points and three steals.

Conor Markins scored a game-high 25 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Brandon Adkins had 16 points and six rebounds.

Wayne was led by Brett Justice with 17 points. Nathaniel Earl scored 12 points and Grant Feguson had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Markins had the hot-hand early. He hit a pair of 3-pointers, made 5-of-6 from the foul line and scored 13 points as Coal Grove led 22-19 at the end of the first quarter. Justice score eight points including a pair of triples.

Adkins and Miller took over in the second quarter. Adkins had eight points and Miller scored seven including a trey as Coal Grove pulled away to a 44-32 halftime lead.

Adkins and Markins scored four points each in the third quarter as each team got 12 points and it was 56-44. Ferguson and Justice had four each for Wayne.

Miller hit a triple ands cored five points while Austen Pleasants and Markins had four points each in the fourth quarter as Coal Grove extended its lead.

Coal Grove returns to Big Sandy on Thursday to play Teays Valley Christian at 4:45 p.m.

Coal Grove 22 22 12 15 = 71

Wayne 19 13 12 11 = 55

COAL GROVE (9-6): Sean Paulus 0-5 2-2 2, Brandon Adkins 8-10 0-0 16, D.J. Miller 5-8 0-0 12, Joe Akers 1-4 0-1 3, Conor Markins 7-10 9-10 25, Travis Carey 0-0 0-0 0, Isaac Fields 1-1 0-0 2, Jonathan Joseph 1-2 0-0 2, Isaiah Gunther 1-5 0-0 3, Dalton Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Austen Pleasants 3-5 0-0 6, Jacob Pierce 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-50 11-13 71. 3-point goals: 6-16 (Paulus 0-2, D.J. Miller 2-5, Akers 1-1, Markins 2-5, Joseph 0-1, Gunther 1-3). Rebounds: 7-OR, 21-DR = 28 (Adkins 6, Akers 5, Markins 5). Assists: 18 (D.J. Miller 5, Markins 3, Gunthers 3). Steals: 6 (D.J. Miller 3). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

WAYNE (NA): Grant Ferguson 3-18 1-2 11, Tucker Watts 1-1 2-6 4, Alex Elkins 4-5 0-0 8, Brett Justice 5-13 4-4 17, Nathaniel Earl 3-7 3-5 12, Cameron Wallace 0-0 0-0 0, Blair Queen 0-0 0-0 0, Colby Wickline 1-3 0-0 2, Seth Napier 0-1 0-0 0, Cameron Queen 2-3 0-0 5. Totals: 19-51 10-17 55. 3-point goals: 7-20 (Ferguson 0-7, Justice 3-7, Earl 3-4, Wickline 0-1, C. Queen 1-1). Rebounds: 16-OR, 17-DR = 33 (Ferguson 11, Justice 7). Assists: 12 (Justice 4, Wickline 3). Steals: 1. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.