Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

JACKSON — Look who’s still standing.
A decided underdog, the South Point Lady Pointers stepped up and beat the Nelsonville-York Lady Buckeyes 34-30 on Saturday to win the Division 3 sectional tournament.
Nelsonville-York managed to get within 30-27 late in the game, but Emilee Whitt and Emilee Carey both went 2-for-2 at the foul line to halt the comeback bid.
Carey finished the game with a game-high 16 points and Whitt had 10 points. Whitt also had 5 rebounds3 assists and 2 steals. Diamond Crawley got 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
Makenzie Hurd scored 9 points while Haley Hurd and Josselyn Heller scored 8 points each for the Lady Buckeyes (19-4).
Carey and Whitt each hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter and Kimrie Staley added a basket as South Point took a 14-8 lead.
Haley Hurd got 4 points in the quarter for the Lady Buckeyes.
Mackenzie Hurd hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points in the second quarter as the Lady Buckeyes cut the deficit to 20-15.
Sarah Mitchell had 4 of South Point’s 6 points in the second quarter.
The scoring came to a crawl in the third quarter as the Lady Pointers outscored N-Y 5-3 to lead 25-18.
Carey’s triple and Whitt’s basket accounted for South Point’s offense in the third quarter.
Carey made a 3-pointer, Sarah Mitchell had a big basket to go with the free throws by Whitt and Carey.
Heller hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for N-Y.
UP NEXT: South Point plays Ironton at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Waverly downtown arena in the district semifinals.
South Point 14 6 5 9 = 34
Nelsonville 8 7 3 12 = 30
SOUTH POINT (15-8): Emilee Whitt 1 2 2-2 10, Maddy Khounlavong 0 0 0-2 0, Sarah Mitchell 2 0 2-2 6, Emilee Carey 1 4 2-2 16, Diamond Crawley 0 0 0-0 0, Kimrie Staley 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 5 6 6-8 34. Rebounds: 6-O, 11-D = 17 (Whitt 5, Crawley 3, Staley 3). Assists: 10 (Khounlavong 3, Whitt 3, Crawley 2). Steals: 3 (Whitt 2). Turnovers: 6. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.
NELSONVILLE-YORK (19-4): Ashleigh Cantrell 0 0 1-2 1, Josselyn Heller 1 2 0-0 8, Alivia Speelman 0 0 0-0 0, Grace Sinnott 2 0 0-0 4, Makenzie Hurd 3 1 0-0 9, Haley Hurd 4 0 0-0 8. Totals: 10 3 1-2 30. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.