Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — It didn’t erase the sting of the 2019 Division 4 semifinals, but it did ease some of the pain.
The Hornets lost to Peebles 48-47 in the district in 2018 when they missed a last-second shot. So when Coal Grove beat the Peebles Indians 59-46 on Saturday, there was a little extra satisfaction.
Malachi Wheeler scored a career-high 26 points and Tait Matney scored 12 as the Hornets improved to 4-3.
Oakley Burba was the only Peebles play in double figures with 24.
Coal Grove jumped ahead 15-6 in the first quarter as Matney drained three 3-pointers.
Wheeler hit a trey and scored 9 points and Elijah Dillon and Matney added 3-pointers as the lead went to 32-20 at the half.
Burba scored 12 of the Indians’ 14 points in the quarter.
Wheeler hit another triple and scored 7 points and Perry Kingery added a pair of baskets as they extended the lead to 45-31.
Hunter Staton took over for the Hornets in the fourth quarter as he scored 9 points including a 3-pointer and 2-of-3 at the foul line. Wheeler also had a trey and scored the other 5 points in the quarter.
Burba hit a triple and had 5 points to pace Peebles.
Coal Grove host Portsmouth on Tuesday.
Peebles 6 14 11 15 = 46
Coal Grove 15 17 13 14 = 59
PEEBLES (2-3): Dawson Mills 1 0 1-2 3, Hunter White 2 0 1-2 5, Oakley Burba 6 3 3-3 24, Brock Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Alan McCoy 2 0 1-2 5, Zane Porter 1 00-0 2, Mason Sims 0 0 0-0 0, Cory Reed 0 0 0-0 0, Zane Knechtly 1 0 0-0 2, Easton Wesley 2 0 1-2 5. Totals: 15 3 7-11 46. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
COAL GROVE (4-3): Steve Easterling 0 0 0-0 0, Malachi Wheeler 7 3 3-5 26, Landon Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Jarren Hicks 1 0 1-2 3, Trevor Hankins 0 0 0-0 0, Tait Matney 0 4 0-0 12, Hunter Staton 2 1 2-3 9, Elijah Dillon 1 1 0-0 5, Braylon Stuntebeck 0 0 0-0 0, Braxton Horn 0 0 0-0 0, Perry Kingery 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 13 9 6-10 59. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.