Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — The third time proved to be the charm.

After losing to Coal Grove twice in the regular season in a pair of close games, the South Point Lady Pointers beat the Lady Hornets 50-35 on Thursday in the Division III sectional tournament at Rock Hill High School.

The Lady Pointers will play Wheelersburg at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in the sectional finals at Rock Hill.

South Point (5-17) had three players in double figures. Madison Kearns scored 14, Abbey Winkler 13 and Brooklyn Badgett had 11. Olivia Abner grabbed 11 rebounds and had two steals.

Coal Grove (10-13) was led by senior Jacy Jones who closed out a stellar career with 14 points. Leah Crum hit three 3-point goals and scored 9 points. Summer Willis had four rebounds.

Shooting proved to be the key to the Lady Pointers win.

South Point shot 47.4 percent from the field compared to 32.6 for Coal Grove. The Lady Pointers were 18-of-38 from the floor while the Lady Hornets were just 14-of-43.

The key for South Point was making 14-of-24 shots from the paint and four perimeter shots. Coal Grove was just 8-of-18 from inside the lane.

South Point was able to scored 15 points off turnovers and had 9 second-chance points. Coal Grove had 14 points off turnovers and 10 second-chance points.

Coal Grove led 15-14 at the end of the first quarter, but the Lady Hornets’ offense went cold from that point on over the next two quarters.

South Point came back to outscored Coal Grove 16-5 in the second quarter to take a 30-20 halftime lead.

The Lady Pointers held the Lady Hornets to just 4 points in the third quarter and took a 36-24 lead into the fourth quarter.

South Point then outscored Coal Grove 14-11 in the fourth quarter to seal the sectional win.

South Point 14 16 6 14 = 50

Coal Grove 15 5 4 11 = 35

SOUTH POINT (5-17): Madison Kearns 6-6 1-2 14, Abbey Winkler 4-7 4-6 13, Brooklyn Badgett 5-11 1-1 11, Haley Rawlins 1-3 2-6 5, Olivia Abner 1-1 2-3 4, Leah Lawson 1-2 1-2 3, Emilee Powell 0-0 0-0 0, Miranda Boyd 0-0 0-0 0, Abbey Hannah 0-0 0-0 0-0, Adara Deeds 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-38 11-20 50. 3-point goals: 3-12 (Kearns 1-1, Winkler 1-3, Badgett 0-1, Rawlins 1-2). Rebounds: 13-off 17-def. = 30 (Abner 11). Team rebounds: 14. Assists: 0. Steals: 5 (Abner 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

COAL GROVE (10-13): Jacy Jones 6-16 1-2 14, Leah Crum 3-7 0-0 9, Summer Willis 3-5 1-2 7, Kaylee Beals 1-2 0-0 2, Leslie Mulkey 0-0 1-2 1, Kasey Murphy 0-4 0-0 0, Sydney Conley 0-0 0-2 0, Lauren Meyer 0-0 0-0 0, Maddy McKenzie 0-0 0-1 0, Khylee Keaton 0-0 0-0 0, Emily Bryant 0-1 0-0 0-1 0. Totals: 14-43 3-10 35. 3-point goals: 4-17 (Jones 1-7, Crum 3-7, Beals 0-1, Murphy 0-2). Rebounds: 15-off 12-def. = 27 (Willis 4). Team rebounds: 19. Assists: 0. Steals: 0. Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.