Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — Generally when you play good defense, it helps ignite your offense.
The St. Joseph Lady Flyers are still looking for that ignition key.
The Lady Flyers had another good defensive effort but the offense continued to struggle in a 42-26 Southern Ohio Conference loss to the Green Lady Bobcats on Thursday.
“We have trouble going long stretches where we don’t score. We play good defense, but we have to reward that with some offense,” said Flyers’ coach Bart Burcham.
“We’re getting some open shots, they just aren’t falling. But you have to give Green credit. They’re a good team and they have three or four players who can score.”
St. Joseph had an early lead only to have Green go on a 17-2 run that began in the first quarter and spilled over into the second quarter.
Anna Knapp, Kimberly Brown and Kasey Kimbler all scored 6 points in the first half that helped the Lady Bobcats got from a 14-10 first quarter lead to 28-16 at the half.
Bella Whaley scored 6 points in the first quarter and Emma Whaley — in her first game back in weeks — had 4 points in the second quarter.
Green extended its lead to 40-24 after three quarters as Kimbler got hot and drained a 3-pointer and scored 9 of Green’s 12 points in the quarter.
Gracie Damron had 5 points and Emma Whaley knocked down a trifecta for the Lady Flyers.
The offensive end of the game slowed to a crawl in the fourth quarter as each team scored just 2 points.
“When they got up by double digits, they did a good job of running the clock,” said Burcham.
Emma Whaley had 7 points, Bella Whaley 6 points and Damron 5 points for the Lady Flyers (1-6, 1-4). Bella Whaley and Damron each had 7 rebounds and Emilee Blankenship had 5 boards.
Green was pace by Kimber with a game-high 15 points. Knapp scored 8 points and Brown added 6.
St. Joseph goes to Gallipolis on Saturday. Green visits East on Monday.
St. Joseph 10 6 8 2 = 26
Green 14 14 12 2 = 42
ST. JOSEPH (1-6, 1-4): Emma Whaley 2 1 0-0 7, Emilee Blankenship 1 0 0-0 2, Bella Whaley 2 0 2-2 6, Chloe Sheridan 1 0 0-0 2, Gracie Damron 2 0 1-3 5, Laiken Unger 1 0 0-0 2, Riley Daniels 1 0 0-0 2, Addie Philabaun 0 0 0-0 0, Ava Weber 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 1 3-5 26. Rebounds: 23 (B. Whaley 7, Blankenship 5, Damron 7, E. Whaley 2, Sheridan 1, Unger 1). Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (NA): Kasey Kimbler 3 2 3-4 15, Kimberly Brown 3 0 0-0 6, Kame Sweeney 1 0 2-2 4, Charlie Blevins 0 1 0-1 3, Anna Knapp 3 0 2-3 8, Brelan Baldridge 1 0 0-0 2, Kaylee Christian 0 0 0-0 0, Emily Brady 1 0 0-0 2, Katelinn Satterfield 0 0 0-0 0, Alley Hensley 1 0 0-0 2, Alex Smith 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 3 7-10 42. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.