WHEELERSBURG — The Coal Grove Lady Hornets need to listen to coach Nick Miller instead of Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks.

It was Banks who said, “Let’s play two,” only he was referring to playing a doubleheader.

Miller wanted a full game from his team, but instead the Lady Hornets had three good quarters and fell 67-52 to the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates Thursday in a non-league game.

“I told the girls before the game, ‘Let’s play four quarters,’ and we played as well as we could play in the first half,” said Miller.

“We came out the second half and didn’t play well. We can play with anyone for a while and then something happens. We just couldn’t make shots and we turned the ball over.”

Jordyn Cox scored five points in the first quarter as Coal Grove took a 16-10 lead. Jessica Blanton had six of the Lady Pirates’ points.

Cox and Wheelersburg’s Sarah Schmidt matched each other with eight points in the second quarter and Coal Grove took a 32-28 lead into the locker room.

But then came the dismal third quarter as Coal Grove (4-7) scored just five points. Schmidt and Blanton combined for 13 points as Wheelersburg went ahead 46-39.

Cox hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, but Brooke Baker scored six points and Blanton five as the Lady Pirates began to pull away down the stretch.

“Didn’t know what to expect playing a good team on the road and without one of our starters (Taylor Sexton). Wheelersburg didn’t do anything different in the second half, we just didn’t execute,” said Miller.

Wheelersburg outscored Coal Grove 39-18 in the second half.

Cox finished with 21 points and Chelsea Delong had 13 as the duo combined for eight 3-pointers.

Blanton had 21 points for Wheelersburg (9-1). Schmidt scored 15 and Baker added 10.

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COAL GROVE (4-7): Abby Nance 3 0 0-0 6, Kelli Grove 0 0 0-0 0, Keesha Wyatt 2 0 1-1 5, Brittany Harrison 2 0 1-2 5, Danielle Carpenter 1 0 0-0 2, Jordyn Cox 2 5 2-2 21, Chelsea Delong 2 3 0-0 13. Totals 12 8 4-5 52. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

WHEELERSBURG (9-1): Jamie Clevenger 1 0 0-0 2, Sarah Schmidt 5 1 2-4 15, Taylor Ross 1 0 0-0 2, Meagan Lang 0 0 0-0 0, Jessica Blanton 7 1 4-4 21, Brittany Warner 3 0 0-0 6, Logan Barrick 0 0 0-0 0, Kate Staker 1 0 2-2 4, Lainee Clay 3 0 1-2 7, Brooke Baker 5 0 0-0 10. Totals: 26 2 9-12 67. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.