By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Making free throws can help a team win a lot of games. Just as the Coal Grove Hornets.

The Hornets made enough clutch foul shots to hold off the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans 47-42 on Saturday at the Shawnee State Shootout.

A key factor in the game was Coal Grove’s making 14-of-22 at the foul line while the Titans were 10-of-14.

Coal Grove junior guard Owen Johnson scored 26 points and in the process eclipsed the 1,000-point milestone in his career.

Coal Grove led 12-10 after the first quarter as Karson Frecka and Johnson had 4 points each.

Connie Thomas had 5 points including a 3-pointer for the Titans.

The Hornets extended the lead to 26-19 at the half as Johnson took over and scored 10 points including a 3-pointer.

Cody Metzler scored 5 points for Notre Dame.

The lead went to 38-30 in the third quarter as Coal Grove converted 6-of-6 at the line as Kody Harmon, Johnson and Frecka made 2 free throws each. Johnson had 6 points in the quarter.

Aaryn Bradford had 4 points as 5 different players scored for the Titans.

The Hornets were outscored 12-9 in the fourth quarter with Johnson making the only field goal. Coal Grove struggled to put the Titans away as they converted just 7-of-14 at the foul line.

Thomas hit another 3-pointer and Metzler added 4 points in the quarter for Notre Dame.

Metzler had 11 points and Thomas 10 for the Titans.

Coal Grove    12 14 12 9 = 47

Notre Dame 10 9 11 12 = 42

COAL GROVE (3-10): Noah Holmes 0 0 0-0 0, Rylan Smith 1 0 0-0 2, Bradley Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Kody Harmon 0 0 3-4 3, Owen Johnson 8 1 7-9 26, Gavin Gipson 2 0 0-1 4, Karson Frecka 2 0 4-6 8, Sam Large 2 0 0-2 4. Totals: 15 1 14-22 47. Fouls: 13. Fouled out.

PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (7-3: Landon Barbaris 2 0 2-4 6, Connie Thomas 1 2 2-2 10, Aaryn Bradford 3 0 2-3 8, Dae Quan Woods 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Metzler 5 0 1-1 11, Marcellus Woods 1 0 0-0 2, Myles Phillips 1 0 3-4 5, Brady Davis 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 2 10-14 42. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.