Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — It don’t come easy.
In a tenacious defensive battle, the points were hard to get as the Chesapeake Lady Panthers edged the Portsmouth Lady Trojans 26-23 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.
Chesapeake (8-9, 5-4) had just three players score as Blake Anderson had 11 points, Corrine Ferguson 10 and Kandace Pauley five.
Portsmouth (6-9, 3-8) had only two players score as Hannah Hughes knocked down three 3-pointers and scored a game-high 14 points while Jasmine Eley got the other nine points.
Pauley and Ferguson scored in the first quarter and Chesapeake led 4-3. Hughes hit a trifecta for Portsmouth’s points.
Ferguson scored six points in the second quarter and Anderson two as Chesapeake went up 12-10 at the half. Eley scored four points and Hughes had another trey.
Anderson’s 3-pointer and two foul shots were all of Chesapeake’s points in the third quarter as Eley had five points and Hughes two and the Lady Trojans tied the game at 17.
The Lady Panthers outscored Portsmouth 9-6 in the fourth quarter.
Pauley hit a 3-pointer and scored five points, Ferguson had a basket and Anderson sank two free throws. Hughes had all of the Lady Trojans’ points.
Chesapeake hosts Grace Christian on Saturday and Ironton on Monday.
Chesapeake 4 8 5 9 = 26
Portsmouth 3 7 7 6 = 23
CHESAPEAKE (8-9, 5-4): Kandace Pauley 1 1 0-0 5, Blake Anderson 2 1 4-8 11, Taylor Hicks 0 0 0-0 0, Corrine Ferguson 4 0 2-2 10, Sammie McComas 0 0 0- 00, Maddie Ward 0 0 0-0 0, Lexi Stapleton 0 0 0-0 0, Karli Davis 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7 2 6-10 26. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH (6-9, 3-8): Jasmine Eley 3 0 3-6 9, Nia Trinidad 0 0 0-0 0, Hannah Hughes 2 3 1-2 14, Jaiden Rickett 0 0 0-2 0, Ashanti Richardson 0 0 0-0 0, Layla Kegg 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 5 3 4-10 23. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.