Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — There’s a reason the Portsmouth Notre Dame Lady Titans are ranked sixth in the current Associated Press poll.
The Lady Titans showed why they continue to dominate the Southern Ohio Conference as they beat the St. Joseph Lady Flyers 63-20 on Thursday.
With the win, Notre Dame not only improved to 10-1 overall but leads the SOC at 7-0. The win extended the Lady Titans’ SOC winning streak to 84 straight.
St. Joseph (2-8, 2-5) struggled offensively against the Lady Titans’ defense, but the Lady Flyers played well defensively in the first half themselves.
Notre Dame led just 8-2 after the first quarter and it was just 23-10 at the half.
But Ava Hassel hit two 3-pointers and scored 14 of her 22 points in the third quarter and Isabel Cassidy also had two 3-pointers as the lead ballooned to 47-12.
Bella Whaley had 6 points and 4 rebounds while Emma Whaley and Addie Philabaun scored 5 points each for the Lady Flyers.
St. Joseph 2 8 2 8 = 20
Notre Dame 8 15 24 16 = 63
ST. JOSEPH (2-8, 2-5): Emma Whaley 1 1 0-5 5, Bella Whaley 0 2 0-0 6, Emilee Blankenship 0 0 0-0 0, Chloe Sheridan 1 0 0-0 2, Gracie Damron 0 0 0-0 0, Laiken Unger 1 0 0-0 2, Riley Daniels 0 0 0-0 0, Addie Philabaun 1 1 0-0 5, Ava Weber 0 0 0-0 0. Rebounds: 19 (B. Whaley 4, Sheridan 4, Blankenship 3, Unger 2, Weber 2, Daniels 2, E. Whaley 2). Totals: 4 4 0-5 20. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (10-1, 7-0): Ava Hassel 5 3 3-3 22, Kamryn Bradford 0 0 0-0 0, Anne Dettwiller 4 0 0-0 8, Clair Dettwiller 3 0 0-0 6, Isabel Cassidy 1 3 1-2 12, Katie Strickland 2 0 0-2 4. Totals: 14 85-9 63. Fouls: 6. Fouled out: None.