Rock Hill loses 76-75 heartbreaker

Published 6:45 pm Thursday, February 2, 2023

By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Sometimes seconds can feel like an eternity.

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It felt that way to the Rock Hill Redmen late in the fourth quarter of their Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.

With Rock Hill leading 75-72 late in the fourth quarter, Deandre Berry scored the last 2 baskets to give the Trojans the lead.

Berry then stole an inbounds pass at halfcourt with 4.6 seconds left to secure the 76-75 win over the Rock Hill Redmen in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.

Rock Hill (8-9, 2-9) got a career-high 31 points from Blake Porter while Noah Doddridge scored 16 and Brayden Adams and Izzak Cox got 12 points each.

Berry was one of three Trojans in double figures with 16 points — 12 in the fourth quarter. Devin Lattimore led with 22 points and Kenny Sanderlin had 11.

Lattimore and Sanderlin scored 6 points each, Berry had 4 points and both Donovan Breech and Levaughn Cobb hit 3-pointers as Portsmouth took a 23-17 first quarter lead.

Doddridge got 8 points and Porter 7 with Victory Day the other 2 points.

Rock Hill rallied to take a 38-32 lead at the half as Porter hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points with Adams and Doddridge getting 6 points each.

Lattimore scored all 9 of the Trojans points.

Portsmouth (6-10, 4-8) began its own comeback in the third quarter and got within 58-56.

Tyler Duncan drained three 3-pointers, Noah Livingston scored 6 points and Lattimore 4 points to lead the Trojans’ comeback.

Porter drilled a pair of 3-pointers and scored 13 points and Adams drained a trifecta to keep the Redmen in front.

Cox scored 8 points, Porter 6 and Adams hit another trey as the Redmen led 70-66 with 2:17 to go only to have Portsmouth take the 76-75 lead on a basket by Berry with 8.3 seconds to play.

Rock Hill 17 21 20 17 = 75

Portsmouth 23 9 24 20 = 76

ROCK HILL (8-9, 2-9): Noah Doddridge 6 0 4-4 16, Dylan Griffith 0 0 0-0 0, Brayden Adams 3 2 0-0 12, Izzak Cox 6 0 0-0 12, Victor Day 2 0 0-0 4, Blake Porter 10 3 2-4 31. Totals: 27 5 6-8 75. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH (6-10, 4-8): Donovan Breech 1 2 0-0 8, Devin Lattimore 9 1 1-2 22, Tyler Duncan 0 3 0-0 9, Kenny Sanderlin 3. 0 5-5 11, Noah Livingston 3 0 0-0 6, Levaughn Cobb 0 1 1-2 4, Isaiah Lewis 0 0 0-0 0, Luke Stine 0 0 0-0 0, Deandre Berry 8 0 0-2 16. Totals: 24 7 7-11 76. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Lattimore.