Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — It’s good to know that when your leading scorer has an off-night that there is someone else to step up.
Tanner Kimbler managed just seven points but Tayte Carver scored 17 points and Gage Sampson 13 as the Green Bobcats cruised past the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans 69-33 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Tuesday.
“We played one of the most complete games I’ve seen us play all year,” said Green coach Dirk Hollar. “The defense was so aggressive and we seemed to get our hands on every pass.
“Tayte Carver hurt his ankle earlier in the year against Clay and he hasn’t been 100 percent. The past three games he’s been relentless.”
Green (9-4) took a 14-6 first quarter lead as Rylee Maynard scored five points and both he and Caden Blizzard hit 3-pointers.
Carver hit a 3-pointer and scored nine points as Green erupted for 21 points in the second quarter and built a 35-10 halftime cushion.
Sampson scored four points including a 3-pointer in the third quarter and got seven more points in the fourth quarter as Green continued to build on its lead in the second half.
“Sampson was in foul trouble the first half. In the second half we fed him inside and he was finishing at the rim. I loved seeing Gage finish off that and-one’s and it gets our team fired up,” said Hollar.
“Caden Blizzard did a great of boxing out and keep Notre Dame off the boards, especially with Gage sitting in the first half. Zach Huffman and Rylee Maynard played their tails off tonight on the defensive end.”
Miles Shipp had seven points, Jackson Clark seven and Ben Mader six for Notre Dame.
On Friday, Green hosts Portsmouth Clay.
Notre Dame    6    4    13    11    =    33
Green            14    21    19    15    =    69
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (NA): Cole Harrell 0 1 0-0 3, Ben Mader 2 0 2-3 6, Miles Shipp 4 0 1-2 9, Jake McGuire 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Tindall 0 0 0-0 0, Jackson Clark 0 2 1-2 7, Ethan Kammer 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Nichols 1 0 0-0 2, Gabe Pettay 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Speas 3 0 0-1 6. Totals: 10 3 3-8 33. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (9-4): Tanner Kimbler 3 0 1-1 7, Tayte Carver 6 1 2-2 17, Zach Huffman 4 0 0-0 8, Gage Sampson 4 1 2-3 13, Caden Blizzard 2 1 2-2 9, Rylee Maynard 2 1 0-2 7, Ethan Huffman 2 0 2-2 6, Levi Singleton 1 0 0-0 2, Caden Brammer 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Barber 0 0 0-0 0, Hayden Whitis 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 24 4 9-12 69. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.