By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

LYNCHBURG — The Coal Grove Hornets had to take the good with the bad on Thursday.

Coal Grove had a good start but began to falter in the second quarter and lost 69-49 in the Division 3 sectional tournament.

“We had a five-point lead in the first quarter but we could’t hold it. We’re a very young team and this was a good learning experience for us,” said Hornets’ coach Kevin Vanderhoof.

Gavin Gipson hit a 3-pointer and he and Owen Johnson scored 6 points each while Elijah Dillon added a 3-pointer and Coal Grove took a 17-12 first quarter lead.

Logan Shope hit from beyond the arc  and scored 7 points for the Mustangs.

But Lynchburg-Clay turned the game around in the second quarter by outscoring the Hornets 21-6 to grab a 33-23 halftime lead.

Brady Chisman knocked down three 3-pointers while Ian Waits, Bryce Binkley and Shope scored 4 points each.

Gipson, Johnson and Karson Frecka all had a basket for the Hornets.

The Mustangs extended the lead to 50-37 in the third quarter as Chisman scored 6 points and Shope added 4 points.

Gipson had another trey and scored 6 points with Frecka adding 4 points for the Hornets.

The Mustangs (14-9) outscored the Hornets 19-12 as Chisman scored 6 points, Binkley and Waits scoring 4 each while Cody Bell hit a 3-pointer.

Johnson scored 8 of Coal Grove’s 12 points in the quarter.

Johnson led the Hornets with 18 points with Gibson adding 14.

Chisman had 22 points for the Mustangs, Shope 17, Waits 12  and Binkley added 11.

Coal Grove    17 6 14 12 = 49

Lynchburg 12 21 17 19 = 69

COAL GROVE (5-18): Gavin Gipson 2 3 2-5 14, Luke Jenkins 1 0 2-2 4, Steven Simpson 0 0 0-0 0, Kaden Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, John Turner 0 0 0-0 0, Landon Davis 1 0 0-0 2, Kody Harmon 0 0 0-0 0, Elijah Dillon 0 1 0-0 3, Jake Brammer 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Johnson 8 0 2-2 18, Karson Frecka 3 0 0-2 6, Caden Turner 1 0 0-2 2. Totals: 16 4 6-13 49. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

LYNCHBURG-CLAY (14-9): Ian Waits 5 0 2-4 12, Denver Clinton 2 0 0-2 4, Asher Faust 0 0 0-0 0, J.J. Massey 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Bell 0 1 0-0 3, Austin Bell 0 0 0-0 0, Braedon West 0 0 0-0 0, Logan Shope 6 1 2-2 17, Bryce Binkley 4 0 3-3 11, Brady Chisman 5 3 3-5 22. Totals: 24 5 10-16 69. Fouls: 13. Fouled Out: None.