Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

BIDWELL — Forget the ominous start.

The South Point Pointers lost their first Ohio Valley Conference game of the season at Fairland and went on the road to play defending champion Chesapeake. The picture looked bleak.

But the Pointers won their next league game and seven more since then including a 55-33 rout of the River Valley Raiders on Tuesday to clinch the league title outright.

“We lost our first league game and then won eight straight. I’m proud of them,” said Pointers’ coach Chris Barnes.

“Our seniors (Brandon) Beefy Boggs, Jeremiah Kipp, Audric Harlow, Eli Ketron and Brandon (Barnes) were great leaders and played hard, and John Johnson is a junior but he was a big reason we won.”

The OVC title was the first for the Pointers since 2008 when they went 20-0 in the regular season.

Barnes and Johnson scored 14 points each for the Pointers (11-6, 8-1) who won their sixth straight. Ketron had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

“It was an ugly game offensively, but we’re playing great defense right now. Defense is what wins it for us,” said coach Barnes.

“We’re playing good basketball at the right time.”

The Pointers led 15-11 after the first quarter. Barnes scored seven points and Johnson six in the second quarter and the defense held the Raiders to eight points as the lead grew to 32-19 at the half.

South Point held River Valley to only 14 points in the second half — five in the third quarter as the lead went to 44-24.

South Point hosts Lincoln County, W.Va., Wednesday.

South Point 15 17 12 8 = 52

River Valley 11 8 5 9 = 33

SOUTH POINT (11-6, 8-1): John Johnson 5 1 1-2 14, Jeremiah Kipp 0 0 0-0 0, Stephen Wagoner 0 0 0-0 0, Chris Woodard 0 0 0-0 0, Gage Townson 0 0 0-0 0, Elijah Adams 0 0 1-2 1, Audric Harlow 2 0 0-0 4, Brandon Barnes 5 1 2-10 14, Marquise Foley 0 0 0-0 0, Eli Ketron 4 0 3-3 11, Brady Rickard 0 0 0-0 0, Brandon Boggs 3 0 1-1 7. Totals: 19 2 8-18 52. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 11.

RIVER VALLEY (5-14, 2-6): Dayton Hardway 0 0 0-0 0, Tre Craycraft 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Twyman 1 1 0-0 5, Andrew Moffett 0 0 1-2 1, Bailey Rhodes 0 0 0-0 0, John Qualls 1 1 0-0 5, Brycen Hatfield 0 0 0-0 0, Justin Rusk 6 1 1-2 16, Jordan Howell 0 0 2-2 2, Cody Lee 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Dovenbarger 0 0 0-0 0, Jacob Morris 0 0 0-2 0, Sean Roberts 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 10 3 4-8 33. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 14.