Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Clay Panthers are one of the top teams in the Southern Ohio Conference. They proved that on Saturday night.

Clay placed three players in double figures en route to a 75-53 win over the St. Joseph Flyers.

Nate Hinze had a game-high 23 points to lead Clay (14-4) while Anthony Williams and Brody Riffe scored 11 each.

St. Joseph (4-13) had three players in double figures led by Zac McGraw with 14 points. Tyler Ward and Chase Walters scored 10 points each.

Clay went up 15-9 in the first quarter as Williams scored seven points and Hinze six. McGraw had five for the Flyers.

The Panthers doubled up on the Flyers in the second quarter to take a 35-19 lead at the half.

Cameron King had all seven of his points and Hinze got five points including a 3-pointer. McGraw scored five more points and Judge Williams hit a trifecta for the Flyers.

Hinze scored 10 points and Clay extended the lead to 58-34 after three quarters. Walters scored six of the Flyers’ 15 points.

St. Joseph outscored the Panthers 19-17 in the fourth quarter as Ward scored five points and Isaac Whaley had four points including a trey. Jordan Collier and Jared Meade scored five points each for Clay.

St. Joseph hosts New Boston on Tuesday.

St. Joseph 9 10 15 19 = 53

Ports. Clay 15 20 23 17 = 75

SAINT JOSEPH (4-13): Judge Williams 0 1 0-0 3, Isaac Whaley 0 2 1-2 7, Clay Willis 2 0 2-2 6, Zac McGraw 6 0 2-3 14, Tre Neal 1 0 1-2 3, Tyler Ward 3 0 4-8 10, Chase Walter 5 0 0-2 10. Totals: 17 3 10-19 53. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (14-4): Jordan Collier 3 0 1-2 7, Brody Riffe 4 1 0-0 11, Cole Gilliland 3 1 0-0 9, Drew Hadsell 0 0 0-0 0, Cameron King 2 0 3-37, T. Pack 0 0 0-0 0, Anthony Williams 3 1 2-2 11, Jared Meade 2 1 0-0 7, Nate Hinze 7 2 3-3 23. Totals: 24 6 9-10 75. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.