Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — When the Coal Grove Hornets lost leading scorer and 3-point threat Cory Borders to a dislocated knee cap, other players were asked to step up and fill the void.
Evan Gannon took it literally.
Gannon copied Borders by hitting six 3-pointers and scored 23 points as the Hornets beat the Fairview Eagles 72-39 on Friday.
Peyton Smith also stepped up with a big game as he hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 17 points for the Hornets (3-3).
Tanner Johnson had 13 points to pace Fairview (3-6).
Gannon lit up the scoreboard with three 3-pointers in the first quarter as Coal Grove went up 17-6.
Gannon had two more trifectas in the second quarter and he scored 10 points while Jarren Hicks added 5 points and Trevor Carey 4 to give the Hornets a commanding 38-10 lead at the half.
Smith hit a trey and score 7 points and six different players scored in the third quarter for the Hornets.
Johnson and Tamel Smith scored 7 points each as the Eagles outscored the Hornets 21-19 in the quarter but still trailed 57-31.
Smith had 6 points in the fourth quarter and both he and Malachi Wheeler hit 3-pointers as the Hornets coasted to the win.
Coal Grove plays at Chesapeake next Friday.
Fairview 6 4 21 8 = 39
Coal Grove 17 21 19 15 = 72
FAIRVIEW (3-6): Tanner Johnson 1 3 2-4 13, Brandon Elswick 1 0 0-0 2, Jaxon Manning 1 0 2-2 4, Jay Ferguson 0 0 0-0 0, Camren Muncy 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Caldwell 0 0 0-1 0, Eric Jordan 0 0 0-0 0, Steven Day 1 1 0-0 5, Jack Roy 1 0 0-0 2, Terrick Smith 2 0 0-0 4, Jaylen Terry 0 0 0-0 0, Gage Crooks 1 0 0-2 2, Tamel Smith 2 1 0-0 7, Jeremy Hooper 0 0 0-0 0 Totals: 10 5 4-9 39. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.
COAL GROVE (3-3): Perry Kingery 1 0 0-0 2, Evan Gannon 1 6 3-4 23, Peyton Smith 5 2 1-3 17, Trevor Hankins 1 0 1-3 3, Tait Matney 1 0 0-0 2, Luke Ferguson 1 0 0-1 2, Malachi Wheeler 2 1 0-0 7, Jarren Hicks 3 0 2-3 8, Trey Hunt 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Short 1 0 0-0 2, Trevor Carey 3 0 0-2 6. Totals: 19 9 7-16 72. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

Hunt. St. Joe 66,
Coal Grove 55
IRONTON — When the annual Ironton Classic began last Saturday, it got quite a tip-off game.
The Huntington St. Joseph Fighting Irish outlasted the Coal Grove Hornets 75-66 in an outstanding battle.
Coal Grove got a huge game from Evan Gannon who knocked down six 3-point goals and scored 24 points. Petyon Smith had 16 points for the Hornets.
Kaden Warner scored a game-high 28 points to lead the Irish with Jaylen Motley and Mekhi Barlow adding 10 each.
The Irish took a 22-16 first quarter lead as Motley had all 10 of his points and Warner scored 8. Six different players scored for the Hornets with Gannon and Smith each hitting 3-pointers.
Coal Grove shaved a point of the lead in the second quarter and it was 36-31 at the half. Malachi Wheeler and Smith combined for 8 points and five different players scored for each team.
Warner hit two more 3-pointers and poured in 14 points in the third quarter as the lead grew to 55-47. Gannon kept the Hornets within striking distance with three triples and a free throw.
The Irish were just 5-of-12 from the foul line in the fourth quarter but Barlow scored 8of his points as they maintained the lead.
Gannon hit a trey and went 3-of-4 at the line while Smith also had a 3-pointer and scored 7 points.
Hunt. St. Joe 22 14 19 20 = 75
Coal Grove 16 15 16 19 = 66
HUNTINGTON ST. JOSEPH: Kaden Warner 5 4 6-8 28, Zavion Johnson 0 1 6-11 9, Jaylen Motley 2 2 0-0 0, Kaden Ehirem 0 0 2-2 2, Jaden Price 1 0 0-0 2, Gunnell Hickman 2 0 2-4 6, Kyler Ferguson 1 2 0-1 8, Mekhi Barlow 3 1 1-2 10, Crosby Short 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 10 17-28 75. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Hickman.
COAL GROVE: Perry Kingery 1 0 0-0 2, Evan Gannon 1 6 5-6 24, Peyton Smith 4 2 2-3 16, Trevor Hankins 0 0 0-0 0, Tait Matney 1 1 0-2 5, Luke Ferguson 0 0 0-0 0, Malachi Wheeler 3 0 0-0 6, Jarren Hicks 3 0 1-4 7, TreyHunt 0 0 0-0 0, Ehtan Short 0 0 0-0 0, Trevor Carey 3 0 0-2 6. Totals: 16 9 8-17 66. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.