Chance Short
chance.short@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — The South Point Pointers came into Friday night’s game with something to prove against the visiting Portsmouth Trojans after falling to them 58-40 on Dec. 22.
The Pointers were down two starters that night and the two missing starters from that game combined for 42 points in the second matchup to take revenge against the Trojans 56-46.
Austin Webb and Mason Kazee were the missing pieces that made all the difference as Webb jolted to 7 quick points in the first quarter, but the Trojans hung around. Dariyonne Bryant knocked down a 3-pointer and split a pair of free throws to keep the game close at the end of the period, 10-9.
The Trojans (5-4, 4-3) kept their foot on the throttle to start the second and went on an 8-2 run to force a South Point timeout. Kazee knocked down a pair of triples out of the timeout for the Pointers, but they trailed by just a point at the half, 23-22. Donovan Carr scored 6 points in the quarter to help take momentum.
“First half, we just kind of went through the motions again. Made some adjustments at half time about picking up the pace and we did. We lost track of the (Chris) Duff kid twice and changed the complexity of the game. Overall, I wish that we could get more consistent across the board,” said South Point head coach Travis Wise.
Wise’s adjustments worked as the Pointers gave up just one basket in the third quarter while Webb and Kazee combined for 12 points to take a commanding 37-25 lead. The duo each knocked down a 3-pointer, and Nakyan Turner hit a triple as well as they outscored the Trojans 15-2 in the quarter.
Duff opened the final quarter with two quick 3-pointers in transition to cut the lead to 6, but the Trojans never made it over the hump.
Webb finished with 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists alongside Kazee’s 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
The duo shot 4-of-5 from the charity stripe in the final quarter and Malik Pegram went 5-for-6 to lock up the Pointers’ victory.
“It’s nice to see Austin finally getting some legs underneath him and get back to leaping on his jump shots in the middle and Kazee can stroke the ball. He has such a pure shot and he has found his confidence,” added Wise.
South Point (7-1, 5-1) will travel to Eastern Brown on Saturday.
Portsmouth 9 14 2 21 = 46
South Point 10 12 15 19 = 56
PORTSMOUTH (5-4, 3-4): Amare Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Roe 2 1 0-0 7, Dariyonne Bryant 3 1 1-5 10, Chris Duff 0 2 4-6 10, Daewin Spence 0 0 0-0 0, Donovan Carr 3 0 3-5 9, Michael Duncan 0 0 0-0 0, Miles Shipp 6 0 0-0 12, Devon Lattimore 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 4 8-16 46. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Roe.
SOUTH POINT (7-1, 5-1): Jake Adams 0 0 1-2 1, Nakyan Turner 0 1 2-3 5, Mason Kazee 4 4 2-2 22, Darry Taylor 1 0 0-1 2, Austin Webb 4 3 3-4 20, Malik Pegram 0 0 5-6 5, Jordan Ermalovich 0 0 0-0 0, Xander Dornon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-45 13-19 56. 3-pt goals: 8-20. Rebounds: 25 (Taylor 5, Turner 3). Assists: 12 (Turner 5, Webb 4). Steals: 7 (Turner 3). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Kazee.