Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — For three quarters, the South Point Pointers were moving closer to a major upset.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
The Pointers were outscored by 13 points in the fourth quarter and fell to the Wheelersburg Pirates 56-47 on Tuesday.
“We’re up six with three minutes left and then things just began to happen,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise. “It’s hard to explain.”
The Pirates went up 17-10 in the first quarter as Tanner Holden, Cole Lowery and Connor Mullins all hit a 3-pointer and a basket. Holden added two foul shots for seven points.
Tayshaun Fox scored four points and four different players scored for the Pointers.
Fox hit a pair of 3-pointers and Austin Webb scored five more as the Pointers rallied in the second quarter as they outscored the Pirates 14-4 and took a 24-21 halftime lead.
South Point extended its lead to 40-36 at the end of the third quarter as Fox scored eight points including two more trifectas while Roger Staggs and Webb had four points each.
The Pointers had a 10-point lead at one point in the quarter.
Lowery hit two 3-pointers as he and Holden each scored six points.
In the pivotal fourth quarter, the Pointers managed just seven points as they made only 3-of-15 field goal attempts and committed seven turnovers.
Holden scored 12 points including 6-of-7 at the foul line. The Pirates made 9-of-14 free throws in the quarter and were 16-of-22 for the game.
The Pointers only managed 3-of-9 from the foul line for the game.
Fox finished with 18 points to lead the Pointers (9-12). Webb had 15 points and eight rebounds.
Holden had 25 points — he was 8-of-9 from the foul line — and Cole Lowery scored 13 for the Pirates (16-3).
On Friday, South Point hosts Coal Grove. Members of the 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame will be introduced.
Wheelersburg    17    4    15    20    =    56
South Point    10    14    16    7    =    47
WHEELERSBURG (16-3): Trent Salyers 0 2 0-0 6, Dustin Darnell 0 0 0-2 0, Connor Mullins 2 1 0-0 7, Justin Salyers 0 0 2-3 2, Cole Lowery 1 2 5-6 13, J.J. Truitt 1 0 1-2 3, Tanner Holden 7 1 8-9 25. Totals: 11 6 16-22 56. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Truitt.
SOUTH POINT (9-12): Chance Gunther 2 0 1-2 5, Nakyan Turner 0 0 0-0 0, Roger Staggs 3 0 1-2 7, Douglas Shaffer 0 0 0-0 0, Jared Whitt 1 0 0-0 2, Tayshaun Fox 3 4 0-2 18, Brody Blackwell 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Webb 7 0 1-4 15. Totals: 20-52 3-10 47. 3-pt goals: 4. Rebounds: 5-O, 14-D = 19 (Webb 10). Steals: 2. Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.