Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Green coach Dirk Hollar is no psychic, but he can read into the markings on a basketball.
Hollar could tell before the tip-off on Tuesday that Tanner Kimbler was going to have a good game. Kimbler did made his coach’s premonitions correct as he poured in 28 points to lead the Bobcats to a 58-34 Southern Ohio Conference win over the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans.
“I could tell in warmups he was ready to go. He shot the ball really well tonight and his teammates were looking for him, especially in transition,” said Hollar.
“We moved the ball really well tonight. We found our shooters and Gage (Sampson) was able to take advantage of his size and quickness.”
Sampson scored 14 points to aid the Bobcats’ win. Zach Huffman had eight points and Tayte Carver added six.
“Sampson had another great second half to help Kimbler with the scoring. In the first half, his leg gave out and he had to sit the rest of the half, but in the second half he was very active on the boards and was in attack mode on the other end,” said Hollar.
Miles Shipp had 13 points and Tyler Speas 11 to lead the Titans.
Green (2-0, 1-0) got eight points by Kimbler including a pair of 3-pointers to take a 14-3 first quarter lead. Huffman had four points.
Shipp had all of the Titans’ points.
“Huffman had a great game all-around. He was very active on the defensive end pressuring their guards and he was boxing out their bigs,” said Hollar. “Carver did a great job of pushing the ball up the floor and finding his teammates.”
It was more of Kimbler in the second quarter as he pumped in 12 points with two more trifectas and the Bobcats led 30-18 at the half.
Speas scored seven points as he and Jackson Clark each hit 3-pointers.
Green blew the game open in the third quarter by outscoring the Titans 18-8 to lead 48-26. Sampson had the hot hand with 10 points and Kimbler scored six.
Shipp had six points for Notre Dame.
Hollar began to empty his bench in the fourth quarter as six different players scored.
Green visits Portsmouth Clay on Friday.
Green       14    16    18    10    =    58
Notre Dame    3    15    8    8    =    34
GREEN (2-0, 1-0): Tanner Kimbler 4 5 5-6 28, Tayte Carver 3 0 0-0 6, Zach Huffman 4 0 0-0 8, Caden Blizzard 0 0 0-1 0, Gage Sampson 6 0 2-3 14, Rylee Manard 0 0 0-0, Caden Brammer 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Huffman 0 0 1-2 1, Hayden Whitis 0 0 0-0 0, Bryce Ponn 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Singleton 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Bartber 0 0 1-2 1, Troy Otworth 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 5 9-14 58. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (NA): Cole Harrell 0 0 0-0 0, Ben Mader 0 0 0-0 0, Miles Shipp 4 0 5-6 13, Clark Jackson 0 2 0-2 6, Tyler Speas 2 1 3-4 11, Caleb Nichols 1 0 3-5 5, Ethan Kammer 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Tindall 0 0 0-0 0, Gabe Pettay 0 0 0-0 0, Xavier Shepherd 0 0 0-0 0, Chris Schmidt 0 0 0-0 0, Christian Alvarez 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7 3 11-17 34. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.