Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — This was not the way South Point coach Travis Wise wanted to start the new year.
The Pointers shot only 39 percent from the floor and a meager 4-of-20 from the 3-point line as they lost to the Portsmouth Trojans 56-46 on Tuesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
“We didn’t play well and we didn’t shoot well. It’s that simple,” said Wise. “We just didn’t attack. We relied too much on the 3-point shot early.”
South Point went on a 9-2 run to open the game but Portsmouth answered with a 12-0 run and led 14-9 at the end of the first quarter as Kendall Reynolds scored 6 points.
Each tam scored 10 points in the second quarter and it was 24-19 at the half.
The Trojans came out hot and outscored the Pointers 17-8 in the third quarter to lead 41-27. Tayshaun Fox scored 6 of the Pointers’ 8 points in the quarter.
Jared Whitt scored 8 points in the fourth quarter as the Pointers tried to stage a comeback. South Point outscored the Trojans 19-15 but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.
Fox scored 15 points and had 9 assists to lead the Pointers (6-2, 2-1). Whitt had 13 points while Cade Brandt and Logan Wade grabbed 5 rebounds each.
Reynolds had 17 points and Matt Malone 10 to lead the Trojans (6-1, 1-1).
On Friday, South Points hosts Fairland and Portsmouth visits Chesapeake.
South Point    9    10    8    19    =    46
Portsmouth    14    10    17    15    =    56
SOUTH POINT (6-2, 2-1): Douglas Shaffer 1 0 2-2 4, Jared Whitt 3 2 1-2 13, Tayshaun Fox 7 0 1-3 15, Elijah Adams 1 2 0-0 8, Cade Brandt 2 0 2-2 4, Dustin McCarty 0 0 2-4 2, Logan Wade 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Runyon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-46 6-12 46. 3-point goals: 4-20. Rebounds: 20 (Brandt 5, Wade 5). Assists: 9 (Fox 9). Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH (6-1, 1-1): D.J. Eley 2 0 1-2 5, Daniel Jordan 4 0 1-3 9, Dakota Reynolds 3 0 0-0 6, Matt Malone 5 0 0-0 10, Kendall Reynolds 7 0 3-6 17, Reese Johnson 3 1 0-0 9. Totals: 24 1 5-11 56. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.