Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — So this is why the South Point Pointers are ranked No. 8 in the state poll.

The Pointers celebrated their first day ranked in the Associated Press high school poll with a 69-38 win over the Rock Hill Redmen in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.

Caleb Schneider celebrated the ranking with a career-high 28 points along with 9 rebounds to lead the Pointers (9-1, 7-0) who sit atop the OVC.

Mason Kazee had 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals while Xander Dornon had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Jordan Ermalovich had 4 steals and 3 assists and Elijah Wilburn had 3 steals.

“It was a good OVC road win,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise. ‘Mason got hot early and then Caleb got hot and never cooled off. Xander is player great basketball. He scored and rebounded for us. He’s playing very consistent.”

Rock Hill (4-4, 2-3) was led by Owen Hankins with 21 points.

The Pointers went on a 13-0 run to start the game and led 22-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Kazee buried a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points, Dornon got 8 points and Schneider had 6 points as the Pointers got the big first quarter lead.

Hankins had the only 2 points in the first quarter.

Schneider had a pair of triples and scored 9 points with Malik Pegram adding 4 points to give the Pointers a 39-19 halftime lead.

Hankins hit a 3-pointer and scored 9 points of Rock Hill’s points in the second quarter.

Schneider picked up where he left off in the first half as ht hit a 3-pointer and scored 9 with Ermalovich knocked down a trey and two foul shots as the Pointers extended their lead to 57-29 after three quarters.

Hankins had 6 of Rock Hill’s 10 points.

Schneider and Wilburn scored 4 points each and Jake Adams added a basket to account for the Pointers scoring in the fourth quarter.

Trenton Williams hit a 3-pointer and Hankins had 4 points  in the quarter.

On Friday, Rock Hill entertains Fairland and South Point will host Coal Grove.

South Point 24 15 18 12 = 69

Rock Hill 2 17 10 9 = 38

SOUTH POINT (9-1, 5-0): Caleb Schneider 8 3 3-4, Jake Adams 1 0 0-0 2, Elijah Wilburn 2 0 0-0 4, Mason Kazee 3 2 0-0 12, Malik Pegram 1 0 2-4 4, Josh Childers 0 0 0-0 0, Carter Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Jordan Ermalovich 1 1 2-2 7, Xander Dornon 6 0 0-0 12. Totals: 28-53 7-10 69. 3-pt goals: 6-20. Rebounds: 33 (Schneider 9, Kazee 8, Dornon 6). Assists: 11 (Dornon 4, Ermalovich 3). Steals: 12 ( Kazee 4, Ermalovich 4, Wilburn 3). Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.

ROCK HILL (4-4, 2-3): Noah Doddridge 3 0 0-0 6, Dylan Griffith 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Hankins 7 14-6 21, Brayden Adams 1 0 0-0 2, Jason McFann 0 0 0-0 0, Trenton Williams 0 1 0-0 3, Victor Day 0 0 0-0 0, Chanz Pancake 0 0 0-0 0, Braydon Malone 1 0 0-0 2, Lane Smith 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 14 2 4-6 38. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.