Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — Well, they are free. We might as well take advantage of them.

The Rock Hill Redmen used some excellent foul shooting to help beat the Chesapeake Panthers 60-54 in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams on Tuesday.

The Redmen were clutch at the foul line, especially in the fourth quarter. They made 15-of-21 for the game and all 9 attempts in the fourth quarter. Brayden Adams was 5-for-5 and Owen Hankins was 4-of-4.

Hankins finished with 25 points including four 3-pointers.

“The free throws were huge,” said Redmen coach Gordy Collins. “We were able to get to the basket and draw the fouls. The difference this year is we’re taking advantage of those opportunities.”

Adams had 11 points, Noah Doddridge 10 and Brayden Malone added 9 as the Redmen stayed unbeaten in three games.

“Noah had 10 points, Adams had 11 and Malone 9 so we had good balance,” said Collins. “Victor Day and Lane Smith played their tails off and Chanz Pancake came in and hit a big bucket.”

Levi Blankenship scored 25 points for the Panthers and reached a milestone in his career with 1,000 points.

J.D. Daniels scored 12 points and Ben Bragg chipped in 8.

Chesapeake (1-1, 0-1) took a 15-9 first quarter lead as Daniels had 6 points, Blankenship 5 and Bragg 4.

Hankins hit a 3-pointer and had 6 of the Redmen total.

The Panthers were up 29-22 at the half as Blankenship drained a trey and scored 9 points while Dannie Maynard added a 3-pointer.

Doddridge scored 6 points including a 3-pointer to keep Rock Hill within striking distance.

And strike they did.

Hankins caught fire and buried three of 3-pointers as he scored 13 points and helped rally Rock Hill to a 44-39 lead.

Blankenship made two more shots from behind the arc as he scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, but a pair of driving layups by Adams had the Redmen up 52-47 and then he teamed with Hankins to secure the game at the foul line.

On Friday, Rock Hill is at Ironton and Chesapeake entertains Portsmouth.

Chesapeake 15 14 10 15 = 50

Rock Hill 9 13 22 16 = 60

CHESAPEAKE (1-1, 0-1): Caleb Cox 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Blankenship 7 3 2-5 25, Dannie Maynard 0 1 0-0 3, Camron Shockley 1 0 0-0 2, J.D. Daniels 3 2 0-0 12, Austin Henderson 0 0 0-0 0, Braxton Oldaker 2 0 0-1 4, Ben Bragg 3 0 2-2 8. 16 6 4-8 54. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.

ROCK HILL (3-0, 1-0): Noah Doddridge 3 1 1-1 10, Owen Hankins 4 4 5-7 25, Brayden Adams 2 0 7-9 11, Victory Day 0 0 0-0 0, Chanz Pancake 1 0 0-0 2, Brayden Malone 4 0 1-2 9, Lane Smith 1 0 1-2 3. Totals: 15 5 15-21 60. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.