Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

JACKSON — Coach Chris Barnes wrote the script and the South Point Pointers performed without any re-writes or improvisation.

Following the game plan, the South Point Pointers dominated the Wellston Golden Rockets in every phase of the game as they rolled to an 81-43 win Tuesday in the Division III sectional tournament semifinals.

“Everything went as planned, even better,” said Barnes. “Defensively the effort was fantastic. The rebounding was great. We knew we had a size advantage. Eli, Beefy and Marquise just gave them fits in there. When Brandon is shooting the ball like that it makes us a whole different team.”

Brandon Barnes scored 22 points — 17 in the first half — and Eli Ketron had 13 points and seven rebounds as the Pointers controlled the glass 44-21 including 18-9 on the offensive end.

John Johnson had nine points, four steals and four assists, Brandon “Beefy” Boggs six rebounds and Marquise Foley eight pints, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

South Point shot 33-of-56 from the field for 59 percent. Wellston was 18-of-52 and a meager 4-of-18 in the first half.

Colton Ervin had 10 points for the Golden Rockets (4-16).

South Point (13-6) will play Waverly at 6 p.m. Saturday in the sectional finals. Barnes expects his team to live up to its No. 2 seeding.

“We’re supposed to do that. I told the players we’re the hunted now. We’ve been on that end of the story, too, and that isn’t fun,” said Barnes.

“Every step is going to get tougher, but if we play defense like that, and we play offense and hit the glass, we’re a tough knockout no matter meets us. (Opponents are) going to have to play well. We just need to play our game and make somebody else play better than us.”

Boggs made a layup at the 7:30 mark to give the Pointers a 2-0 lead. Wellston then ran 2:32 off the clock before missing a shot and it took Barnes six seconds to race down the floor and bury a 3-pointer.

South Point jumped into a fullcourt press and forced two quick turnovers and took over the tempo of the game.

The result was a 21-0 start by the Pointers including four 3-pointers by Barnes in the run.

Wellston finally scored on a short jumper by Ervin with 38 seconds left in the quarter. When the dust had settled, South Point led 25-2.

The Pointers continued to pull away in the second quarter as five different players scored. A putback by Foley and a free throws by Ketron put the Pointers up 50-9 at the break.

The lead reached as much as 46 points in the second half.

Wellston 2 7 17 17 = 43

South Point 25 25 18 13 = 81

WELLSTON (4-16): Braydon Womeldorf 1 1 0-0 5, Colton Ervin 2 2 0-0 10, Chazz Davis 2 0 0-0 4, Caleb Stanley 2 0 -0 4, Jordan Arthur 0 1 0-0 3, Logan Collins 0 0 0-0 0, Forrest Hale 3 0 1-2 7, Justin Rafferty 1 1 0-0 5, Laden Ervin 1 0 0-0 2, Daivon Newell 0 1 0-0 3, Blake Royster 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-52 1-2 43. 3-point goals: 6-24. Rebounds: 9-O, 12-D = 21 (Davis 4, Hale 3). Team/deadball rebounds: 5. Assists: 4. Steals: 9 (Arthur 2, Hale 2, Rafferty 2). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

SOUTH POINT (13-6): John Johnson 3 0 3-4 9, Audric Harlow 2 00-0 4, Brandon Barnes 3 4 4-8 22, Eli Ketron 6 0 1-2 13, Brandon Boggs 3 0 0-0 6, Marquise Foley 4 0 0-0 8, Brady Rickard 3 0 0-0 6, Stephen Wagoner 0 0 0-1 0, Jeremiah Kipp 4 0 0-2 8, Gage Townson 0 1 0-0 3, Chris Woodard 0 0 1-2 1, Elijah Adams 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 33-56 10-23 81. 3-point goals: 5-14. Rebounds: 18-O, 26-D = 44 (Ketron 7, Foley 7, Boggs 6, Woodard 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 4. Assists: 14 (Johnson 4, Barnes 4). Steals: 13 (Johnson 4, Ketron 2, Boggs 2, Harlow 2). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 6. Fouled out: None.