Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — By using a diamond, the South Point Pointers put together a gem of a performance.
Leading by just 4 points at halftime, the Pointers made a defensive adjustment and blew the game open as they beat the Gallipolis Blue Devils 60-36 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Wednesday.
‘We went to a diamond press in the third quarter that caused them a lot of problems and that’s why we had such a big quarter,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise. “Plus, Mason Kazee had a great game.”
Problems? Yes, quite a few problems. The Pointers outscored the Blue Devils 23-4 to take a 47-24 lead.
Mason Kazee led the Pointers with a game-high 20 points including four 3-pointers. He also had 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals.
Austin Webb added 16 points and 4 rebounds for the Pointers (6-1, 4-1).
Gallipolis (2-5, 0-4) was led by Isaac Clary with1 5 points.
Kazee had 7 points and Webb 5 points — each hit a 3-pointer — as South Point took a 12-10 first quarter lead.
Kazee made two more triples with Nakyan Turner and Webb also had treys as the lead went to 24-20 at the half. Clary scored 5 points and Cooper Davis hit a triple for the Blue Devils.
In the third quarter, Kazee made another trifecta and had 7 points and Webb scored 6 points as the lead ballooned. Clary had all 4 points for Gallipolis.
Xander Dornon scored 6 of his 8 points in the fourth quarter while Darryl Taylor went 3-for-3 and Tanner Runyon 2-for-2 at the foul line as the Pointers squashed any comeback ideas by the Blue Devils.

The Pointers host Portsmouth on Friday.

South Point 12 12 23 13 = 60
Gallipolis 10 10 4 12 = 36
SOUTH POINT (6-1, 4-1): Jake Adams 0 1 0-0 3, Nakyan Turner 0 2 0-0 6, Erikai Jackson 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Kazee 3 4 2-2 20, Darryl Taylor 0 0 3-3 3, Austin Webb 4 2 2-2 16, Malik Pegram 1 0 0-2 2, Tanner Runyon 0 0 2-2 2, Jordan Ermalovich 0 0 0-0 0, Carmelo Sammons 0 0 0-0 0, Xander Dornon 4 0 0-0 8, Cody Brandt 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 9 9-11 60. 3-pt goals: 9-25. Rebounds: 27 (Kazee 8, Webb 4). Assists: 12 (Turner 4, Kazee 3). Steals: 15 (Kazee 4, Webb 3). Turnovers: 6. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.
GALLIPOLIS (2-5, 0-4): Cooper Davis 2 1 0-0 7, Kenyon Franklin 1 1 0-0 5, Noah Vance 0 0 0-0 0, Brody Fellure 1 0 0-0 2, Drake Phillips 0 0 0-0 0, Trent Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Wesley Saunders 0 0 0-0 0, Carson Call 1 1 2-4 7, Conner Walter 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Clary 7 0 1-4 15. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.