Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — Brooklyn Badgett and Madison Kearns had big games and that helped the South Point Lady Pointers get a big win.
Badgett scored 13 points and Kearns scored 10 as the Lady Pointers held off the Coal Grove Lady Hornets 51-45 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.
“Badgett had a big game for us. Kearns had a big second quarter that extended out lead. Leah (Lawson) played really good defense and (Ashley) Perkey had 10 rebounds. It was a total team effort,” said Lady Pointers’ coach Dave Adams.
“It was a good win for us. Coal Grove has been playing really well and they are always tough at home.”
Coal Grove (9-6, 4-4) was led by Emily Compliment with 14 points and Destiny Dolen scored 11.
Badgett scored seven points and Emilee Whitt had five points including a 3-pointer as South Point went ahead 17-10 in the first quarter.
Kearns hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points in the second quarter as South Point extended its lead to 32-19 at the half.
Lawson and Badgett also had 3-pointers in the quarter.
Dolen scored five points and Compliment and Kylie Deer had 3-pointers as Coal Grove cut the deficit to 43-32 after three quarters.
The Lady Hornets staged a comeback in the fourth quarter as Kasey Murphy scored five points, Compliment made three foul shots and Deer hit another triple, but Ashley Perkey scored four points to help the Lady Pointers hold on.
“Three games in one week with no bench is rough. Then you have a starter get two fouls in the first quarter and she has to sit and that makes it a little hard on a team,” said Lady Hornets’ coach Rick Roach.
South Point (7-6, 4-3) was 20-of-51 from the field and 5-of-7 from the line. Coal Grove was 15-of-50 shooting and 10-of-17 at the foul line.
“We gave up too many spot-up threes in the first half. We made some adjustments and did a better job not allowing that to happen in the second half,” said Roach.
“I give my girls credit. We got down as many as 15 but we continued to battle. Freshman Kylie Deer played a lot better for us than she has the last two games. I was glad to see that. Our free throw shooting must improve to win these close games.”
Coal Grove visits Portsmouth on Monday. South Point is at New Boston on Saturday and hosts Chesapeake on Monday.
South Point    17    15    11    8    =    51
Coal Grove    10    9    13    13    =    45
SOUTH POINT (7-6, 4-3): Emilee Whitt 1 2 0-0 8, Kate Mundy 3 0 0-0 6, Brooklyn Badgett 3 1 4-6 13, Leah Lawson 0 1 0-0 3, Ashley Perkey 4 0 1-1 9, Madison Kearns 2 2 0-0 10, Maddy Khounlavong 0 0 0-0 0, Emilee Carey 0 0 0-0 0, Abbey Hannah 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 20-51 5-7 51. 3-point goals: 6. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: Whitt.
COAL GROVE (9-6, 4-4): Bailey McKnight 1 1 0-2 5, Kylie Deer 0 2 2-4 8, Emily Compliment 2 2 4-6 14, Kasey Murphy 3 0 1-1 7, Destiny Dolen 4 0 3-4 11, Emileigh Bryant 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-50 10-17 45. 3-point goals: 5. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.