Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE — A good start and a good game from Deaundra Murphy were good enough.
Murphy scored a game-high 29 points and the Huntington St. Joseph Fighting Irish got off to a good start as they beat the Coal Grove Hornets 63-48 in the Beast of the Southeast on Saturday.
John Morrison added 18 points for the Irish (5-7).
The Hornets (6-5) were more balanced on offense with Jordan Case scoring nine pints, Aaron Music eight and Alijah Roman seven.
The Irish took a 20-12 first quarter lead as Murphy scored 10 points while Morris had seven. Mark Sites scored all five of his points in the quarter for Coal Grove.
Murphy hit another triple and scored nine points in the second quarter to offset Jeb Jones who had all six of his points in the quarter and the Irish led 31-21 at the half.
Morrison and Murphy had seven points each in the third quarter as the lead went to 47-35. Roman scored all seven of his points in the quarter.
Six different players scoring in the fourth quarter for the Irish while Music and Case had four each for the Hornets.
Coal Grove visits Ironton on Friday.
Coal Grove    12    9    14    13    =    48
Hunt. St. Joe    20    11    16    16    =    63
COAL GROVE (6-5): Aaron Music 4 0 0-2 8, Cory Borders 0 1 0-0 3, Jordan Case 3 0 3-8 9, Kyle Sites 2 0 0-0 4, Nate Harmon 0 0 0-0 0, Mark Sites 2 0 1-1 5, Jaylon McKenzie 2 0 2-2 6, Jeb Jones 2 0 2-3 6, Evan Gannon 0 0 0-0 0, Alijah Roman 2 1 0-0 7. Totals: 17 2 8-16 48. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: M. Sites.
HUNTINGTON ST. JOSEPH (5-7): Brian Thompson 0 0 0-0 0, Joe Faucette 0 0 0-1 0, Deaundra Murphy 9 2 5-6 29, Owen Huffman 0 1 0-0 3, John Morrison 4 2 4-5 18, Bronson Barker 0 0 0-0 0, Garrick Hopkins 2 0 0-0 4, Isaac Bias 3 0 2-3 8, Noah Bolton 0 0 2-2 2, Gabe Giampalo 0 0 0-0 0, Trenton Speaks 0 0 0-0 0, Ryan Webb 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 5 13-17 63. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.