Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — Variety is the spice of life. It also helps win basketball games.

The Coal Grove Lady Hornets had three players in double figures as they beat the Portsmouth Lady Trojans 61-43 on Thursday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Emily Compliment scored 17 points to lead the balanced offense. Jacy Jones scored 14 points and Leah Crum 11 points as each made three 3-pointers.

“We’ve been preaching in practice how we need to quit being so predictable on our scoring,” said Lady Hornets’ coach Rick Roach.

The Coal Grove coach also praised Leslie Mulkey for her defensive effort and Jones who had nine assists.

“Crum knocked down some shots for us and Willis and Mulkey scored.

“Mulkey has such active hands and moves so quick it causes havoc on the defensive end. When Jones shared, we finished. We hadn’t been doing that. I think my kids are realizing they all have assests that can help us win games,” said Roach.

Peighton Williams scored 11 points and Faith Lee had 10 points to lead Portsmouth (0-13, 0-8).

Compliment scored 5 points, Leslie Mulkey had 4 points while Crum and Jones each hit a 3-pointer and it was 15-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Lee had 5 points in the quarter for the Lady Trojans and Williams added a 3-pointers.

Jones connected on a pair of triples and Crum added another from behind the arc as Coal Grove took a 27-20 lead at the half.

Compliment scored 6 points and Summer Willis had 5 points for the Lady Hornets who went up 43-34. Lee had 5 more points and Williams 4 points for the Lady Trojans.

Jones and Compliment had 5 points each in the fourth quarter and Coal Grove made 5 of 8 free throws to seal the win.

Coal Grove will visit Eastern Brown on Saturday.

Coal Grove 15 12 16 17 = 61

Portsmouth 15 5 14 9 = 43

COAL GROVE (8-5, 6-2): Jacy Jones 2 3 1-3 14, Emily Compliment 7 0 3-5 17, Leah Crum 1 3 0-0 11, Leslie Mulkey 3 0 0-0 6, Summer Willis 3 0 1-2 7, Sydney Conley 0 0 0-0 0, Kaylee Beals 1 0 2-2 4, Kasey Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, Lauren Meyer 0 0 0-0 0, Maddy McKenzie 0 0 0-0 0, Khylee Keaton 0 0 0-0 0, Emily Bryant 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 6 7-12 61. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH (0-13, 0-8): Faith Lee 2 2 0-0 10, Sharia Kearns 0 2 2-4 8, Jada Jenkins 1 0 1-4 3, Peighton Williams 4 1 0-2 11, Semajah Parker 4 0 0-2 8, Mya Williams 1 0 0-0 2, Laura Johnson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 5 4-14 43.