Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — After a two-week layoff due to a COVID shutdown, the Rock Hill Redmen were ready to get back on the road.
The Redmen were driving along rather well for three quarters before running out of gas in the fourth quarter as the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans outscored Rock Hill 21-10 and came away with a 60-45 win on Monday.
“We haven’t played in two weeks, but that’s no excuse. We have to find ways to get the job done at the end,” said Redmen coach Gordy Collins.
Rock Hill (1-3) took an 11-6 first quarter lead as five different players scored.
Owen Hankins scored 5 points in the second quarter but Notre Dame got a 3-pointer from Caleb Nichols who scored 5 points and the Titans cut the deficit to 20-18 at the half.
Rock Hill used 6 points from Brayden Adams and 4 from Brayden Malone to extend the lead to 8 points. A layup by Jackson Clark put the Titans up 33-32 before Jacob Schwab’s foul shot tied the game at 33.
But Jonathan Strickland — scored 11 points in the quarter — hit a 3-pointer that put the Titans up 38-35 and his free throw made it 39-35 at the end of the quarter.
Dylan Seison got the hot hand as he scored 12 points and Nichols added 6 more as the Titans outscored the weary Redmen 21-10 to pull away to the win.
Hankins lead the Redmen with 12 points to go along with 7 rebounds and a steal. Malone had 10 points and 5 rebounds while Lane Smith came off the bench to score 10 points and grab 4 rebounds.
Adams and Deven Long had 2 assists each.
Strickland scored 16 points to lead the Titans (3-1) with Seison scored 14 and Nichols 13.
Rock Hill host St. Joseph on Tuesday.
Notre Dame 6 12 21 21 = 60
Rock Hill 11 9 15 10 = 45
PORTS. NOTRE DAME (3-1): Carter Campbell 0 0 0-0 0, Jermaine Powell 1 0 0-0 2, Caleb Nichols 5 1 0-1 13, Dominic Sparks 3 0 1-1 7, Jackson Clark 1 0 5-10 7, Dylan Seison 6 0 2-5 14, Johnathan Strickland 1 3 5-6 16, Ethan Kammer 0 0 1-3 1. Totals: 17 4 14-26 60. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
ROCK HILL (1-3): Noah Doddridge 2 0 0-0 4, Dylan Griffith 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Hankins 5 0 2-3 12, Brayden Adams 3 0 2-3 8, Deven Long 0 0 0-1 0, Brayden Malone 5 0 0-0 10, Jacob Schwab 0 0 1-2 1, Lane Smith 5 0 0-0 10. Totals: 20-41 5-9 45. 3-pt goals: 0-3. Rebounds: 7-O, 18-D = 25 (Hankins 7, Malone 5, Smith 4). Assists: 6 (Adams 2, Long 2). Steals: 1 (Hankins). Blocks: 1 (Malone). Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.