Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — It seems like the Coal Grove Hornets and Portsmouth Trojans just love to score points against each other.
It happened again on Tuesday as the Trojans beat the Hornets 72-61 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
“We left a lot of points out there. It hurt not having Borders and Matney, but Portsmouth shot the ball really well,” said Hornets’ coach Kevin Vanderhoof.
“I was pleased with the way we played. We really got after it. But injuries are killing us.”
Evan Gannon who hit five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 25 points for Coal Grove (3-9, 2-5).
Matthew Fraulini had 21 points while Amare Johnson scored 16 points and Drew Roe 13 for Portsmouth (6-7, 3-4).
Portsmouth had five different players score as they took a 16-11 first quarter led. Gannon hit a 3-pointer and had 7 points.
Gannon hit two more treys in the second quarter as five Hornets scored and each team had 16 points to make it 32-27 at the half.
Johnson hit two 3-pointers and Fraulini had a triple as he scored 5 points for the Trojans.
Fraulini hit three 3-pointers and Roe had a 3-pointer and scored 5 points as Portsmouth went in front 54-43.
Trevor Carey — who missed the past two games with an injury — scored 8 points in the third quarter to keep the Hornets close.
In the fourth quarter, Gannon hit a 3-poiner and scored 9 points and Perry Kingery got all 4 of his points as Coal Grove tried to rally.
But the Trojans were 5-of-8 from the foul line and Michael Duncan, Donovan Carr and Johnson all hit 3-pointers to prevent any comeback.
Cory Borders returned to the Hornets lineup for the first time since dislocating his kneecap at Gallipolis on Dec. 14. Borders saw less than two minutes of action.
The win enabled Eugene Collins to become the second winningest coach in Portsmouth history. Collins passed Dick Hopkins and now only trails George Heller.
On Friday, Coal Grove is at Fairland and Portsmouth host South Point.
Coal Grove 11 16 16 18 = 61
Portsmouth 16 16 22 18 = 72
COAL GROVE (3-8, 2-4): Perry Kingery 2 0 0-0 4, Cory Borders 0 0 0-0 0, Evan Gannon 5 5 0-0 25, Peyton Smith 3 0 2-4 8, Trevor Hankins 0 0 0-0 0, Luke Ferguson 0 0 0-0 0, Malachi Wheeler 1 0 0-0 2, Jarren Hicks 3 0 2-2 8, Ethan Short 0 0 0-0 0, Trevor Carey 6 0 2-6 14. Totals: 25-57 6-12 61. 3-pt goals: 5-22. Rebounds: 28 (Gannon 5, Wheeler 5). Assists: 13 (Smith 6). Steals: 4. Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH (5-7, 2-4): Amare Johnson 3 3 1-2 16, Matthew Fraulini 3 4 3-4 21, Dariyonne Bryant 1 0 0-0 2, Drew Roe 4 1 2-4 13, Jesse Dixon 0 0 0-0 0, Michael Duncan 0 1 0-0 3, Miles Shipp 3 0 0-0 6, Chris Duff 1 0 0-0 2, Donovan Carr 3 1 0-1 9. Totals: 28-50 6-11 72. 3-pt goals: 10-21. Rebounds: 24 (Carr 7, Shipp 7). Assists: 8. Steals: 7 (Fraulini 4). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.