Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — It was Elvis who said, “I’m All Shook Up.”
Similar tune but right idea as far as Coal Grove Lady Hornets’ coach Rick Roach was concerned.
His team fell behind by 13 points at the half, then rallied for a 39-36 win over the South Point Lady Pointers in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.
“Nerves, nerves, nerves. There was a song called the jitterbug. That’s how we were in the first half,” said Lady Hornets’ coach Rick Roach.
“We allowed them to set the pace and we settled for bad shots. At halftime, I told them I was disappointed in their performance. My girls really came out and applied pressure in the second half and my guards did a better job controlling the tempo.”
The win means Coal Grove (10-2) has the OVC lead at 6-1, one-half game ahead of Fairland and South Point (8-2, 5-1). The Lady Pointers play at Fairland on Monday.
Emilee Whitt and Emilee Carey scored five points each including a 3-pointer as South Point took a 14-11 first quarter lead. Abbey Hicks had four points for Coal Grove.
Carey hit another trifecta and scored seven points while Maddy Khounlavong had a 3-pointer and five points to give South Point a 28-15 lead at the break.
But South Point’s offense went south in the second half as the Lady Pointers managed just three points in the third quarter and five in the fourth.
Coal Grove drew within 31-27 at the end of the third quarter as Addi Dillow and Destiny Dolen had four points each.
Dillow scored six points in the fourth quarter while Lauren Crum and Baylee McKnight each made two foul shots to rally the Lady Hornets to the win.
“Dolen and Crum did an outstanding job rebounding. Dolen’s effort in rebounding allowed her to score crucial points. The effort my girls gave in the second half impressed me in many ways. Most importantly, it goes to show that we have a lot of heart,” said Roach.
Dillow led Coal Grove with 12 points and Dolen scored eight.
Carey had 15 points, Whitt eight and Khounlavong seven for the Lady Pointers.
The Lady Hornets were 5-of-11 from the foul line and South Point missed both its attempts.
Coal Grove host Lincoln County on Monday. South Point entertains New Boston on Saturday.
Coal Grove 11 4 12 12 = 39
South Point 14 4 3 5 = 36
COAL GROVE (10-2, 6-1): Addi Dillow 6 0 0-2 12, Baylee McKnight 1 0 3-5 5, Kaleigh Murphy 1 0 0-0 2, Abbey Hicks 2 0 0-0 4, Destiny Dolen 4 0 0-0 8, Lauren Crum 2 0 2-2 6, Jaiden Griffith 1 0 0-2 2. Totals: 17 0 5-11 39. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.
SOUTH POINT (8-2, 5-1): Emilee Whitt 1 2 0-0 8, Sarah Roach 1 0 0-0 2, Maddy Khounlavong 2 1 0-0 7, Kara Taylor 0 0 0-0 0, Emilee Carey 3 3 0-0 15, Diamond Crawley 0 0 0-0 0, Kate Mundy 0 0 0-0 0, Ashley Perkey 2 0 0-2 4. Totals: 9 6 0-2 36. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.