Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

BIDWELL — Looks aren’t everything.

The Chesapeake Panthers might not have look good, but they still got the win as they beat the River Valley Raiders 55-50 on Tuesday.

“It wasn’t pretty. We had a big lead at the half and let them back in it. We didn’t play that well, but we got the win,” said Panthers’ coach Ryan Davis.

Gage Rhoades was a big reason for the win as he scored a game-high 27 points. Brad Meadows added 11 points as the seventh-ranked Panthers improved to 14-0.

Tyler Twyman scored 16 points and Kirk Morrow 13 for the Raiders (7-6).

Rhoades scored 11 in the first quarter as Chesapeake went up 18-11. Twyman had 7 points to keep the Raiders within striking distance.

But Rhoades scored 9 points in the second quarter as the Panthers pulled away to a 33-20 halftime lead.

Both teams scored 14 points in the third quarter — Rhoades had half of the Panthers’ total — and it was 47-34.

The Panthers visit South Point on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Chesapeake won the earlier meeting 69-50 to open the season.

Chesapeake 18 15 14 8 = 55

River Valley 11 9 14 16 = 50

CHESAPEAKE (14-0): Hutchison 0 0 0-0 0, Jake Stevens 0 0 2-4 2, Casey McComas 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Carpenter 2 0 0-0 4, Kolton Webb 1 1 0-0 5, Nate Smith 1 0 0-0 2, Gage Rhoades 6 3 6-10 27, Brad Meadows 4 0 3-5 11, Aaron Thompson 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 16 4 11-19 55. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

RIVER VALLEY (7-6): Dayton Hardway 1 0 1-2 3, Kirk Morrow 6 0 2-3 14, Tyler Twyman 2 2 6-8 16, Jon Qualls 2 0 2-2 6, Justin Rusk 1 0 1-3 3, Austin Neekamp 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Dovenbarger 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 16 2 12-18 50. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.