Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — In the third Rocky movie, Clubber Lang was asked for his prediction and he merely said, “Pain.”
The St. Joseph Flyers didn’t make any bold predictions before Saturday’s game, but they still caused the Portsmouth Clay Panthers plenty of “Payne” in a 60-46 win.
Ryan Payne scored a career-high 25 points to lead the Flyers to the win.
J.C. Damron scored 14 points and Jackson Rowe came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers and score 11 points.
Hunter Mathias had 14 points to lead Clay (4-6).
St. Joseph (6-2) led 14-12 after the first quarter and Payne scored five points and joined Rowe with 3-pointers. Mathias had six points for Clay.
“We played flat the first quarter and then woke up the last three quarters,” said Flyers’ coach Chris Barnes. “Ryan Payne had a great game and Jackson Rowe had his career high, too.”
Damron scored six points in the second quarter and Rowe hit another triple and the Flyers were up 27-22 at the break.
Payne and Rowe each hit 3-pointers and scored five points in the third quarter while Zach Roach a 3-for-4 at the foul line and the Flyers extended their lead to 40-31.
Payne took over in the fourth quarter as he scored 15 points including 6-of-6 at the foul line as St. Joseph built as much as a 19-point lead.
Damron added the other five points in the quarter for the Flyers before emptying their bench.
St. Joseph plays at Rose Hill on Thursday.
St. Joseph 14 13 13 20 = 60
Ports. Clay 12 10 9 15 = 46
ST. JOSEPH (6-2): Isaac Whaley 0 0 0-0 0, Zach Roach 2 0 4-5 9, Ryan Payne 5 3 6-6 25, J.C. Damron 6 0 2-3 14, Jimmy Mahlmeister 1 0 0-0 2, Jackson Rowe 0 3 2-2 11, Matt Sheridan 0 0 0-0 0, Andrew White 0 0 0-0 0, Jared Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Max Weber 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 6 14-16 60. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH CLAY (4-6): Clay Cottle 0 1 0-0 3, Shaden Malone 0 0 1-2 1, Mason Newton 1 1 1-2 6, Hunter Mathias 5 0 4-5 14, Reece Whitley 1 0 0-0 2 Evan Woods 0 1 0-0 3, Garrett Beegan 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Hudson 0 2 0-1 6, Bryce Toomire 0 0 0-2 0, Gage Moore 2 1 0-0 7, Tyler Hobbs 1 0 0-0 2, Dakota Dodds 0 0 2-2 2, Aspen Hall 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 6 8-14 46. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Beegan.