Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WHEELERSBURG — When you play against a good team, you want to start strong and finish strong.
The South Point Pointers failed to do either and it resulted in a 66-44 loss to the Wheelersburg Pirates on Saturday.
The Pointers managed just 7 points in the first quarter but were still only down 14-7.
But South Point also scored in single digits in the fourth quarter as the Pirates continued to pull away.
Carter McCorkle and Eli Swords each hit 3-pointers as Wheelersburg took the first quarter lead.
McCorkle then scored 9 points in the second quarter as the Pirates inched further ahead at 32-22 at the half.
Austin Webb hit a triple and scored 5 points and Mason Kazee had 4 more points as the Pointers’ offense got going.
The Pirates extended their lead to 50-35 in the third quarter as five different plays scored. Nakyan Turner had a 3-pointer and two foul shots for South Point.
Malik Pegram had 6 points in the fourth quarter but Pointers were outscored 16-9 as McCorkle scored 7 points.
Turners and Kazee had 12 points each to lead the Pointers (9-3) who were playing without Darryl Taylor for the second straight game after cutting his hand in warmups on Friday.
Xander Dornon and Webb had 5 rebounds each. Turner had 2 assists and Kazee 2 steals.
McCorkle scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Pirates (14-0) with Matthew Miller adding 20 points.
South Point is at Ironton on Tuesday.
South Point 7 15 13 9 = 44
Wheelersburg 14 18 18 16 = 66
SOUTH POINT (9-3): Nakyan Turner 2 1 5-8 12, Erikai Jackson 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Kazee 6 0 0-0 12, Austin Webb 3 1 0-0 9, Malik Pegram 4 0 0-0 8, Jordan Ermalovich 0 0 0-0 0, Xander Dornon 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 18-46 6-10 44. 3-pt goals: 2-11. Rebounds: 20 (Dornon 5, Webb 5, Pegram 4). Assists: 4 (Turner 2). Steals: 5 (Kazee 2). Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
WHEELERSBURG (14-0): Aaron Jolly 1 0 1-1 3, Jackson Schwamburger 0 0 0-0 0, Matthew Miller 9 0 2-2 20, Eli Swords 0 1 0-0 3, Jonah Lawson 0 0 1-2 1, Carter McCorkle 9 1 2-3 23, J.J. Truitt 4 0 1-2 9, Gage Adkins 1 0 0-1 2, Braxton Rase 0 0 0-0 0, Cooper McKenzie 0 0 0-0 0, Kenny Sanderlin 2 0 1-2 5. Totals: 26 2 8-13 66. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.