Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PROCTORVILLE — It was the annual Big E Classic but the Chesapeake Panthers made it the Big O Classic.

The Panthers turned in their best offensive showing of the young season with an 81-74 win over the Athens Bulldogs.

Gage Rhoades pumped in 29 points to help the Panthers remain unbeaten (4-0).

Brad Meadows scored 19 points to go with 11 rebounds, Casey McComas had 16 points and Kolton Webb added 11 points as four Panthers reached double figures.

Athens managed to keep pace thanks to Griffin Lutz who scored a game-high 38 points. He also had 14 rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Dalton Cozart scored 18 points and Zacciah Saltzmen added 12 for the Bulldogs (0-4).

“We played well at times. We should have scored more. We missed a lot of free throws at the end and let them back in it,” said Panthers’ coach Ryan Davis.

The game was tied 15-15 at the end of the first quarter before the Panthers took a 38-29 halftime lead.

The Panthers built a 65-51 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Chesapeake had double-digit leads in the third and fourth quarters — the biggest lead was 19 — before Athens rallied when the Panthers missed eight straight free throws during one stretch.

The Panthers were 25-of-51 from the field for 49 percent including 7-of-15 from the 3-point line. They were 24-of-33 at the foul line.

Athens was 27-of-51 for 53 percent from the field and 9-of-18 from the arc. The Bulldogs were 11-of-15 at the line.

Chesapeake visits South Point on Tuesday for an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Athens 15 14 22 23 = 74

Chesapeake 15 23 27 16 = 81

ATHENS (0-4): Griffin Lutz 11 3 7-9 38, Robert Dickelman 2, Zacciah Saltzmen 12, Dalton Cozart 18, Genesis Williams 4. Totals: 27-51 11-15 74. 3-point goals: 9-18. Rebounds: 33. Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Lutz.

CHESAPEAKE (4-0): Casey McComas 3 2 4-4 16, Kolton Webb 1 3 0-0 11, Gage Rhoades 8 2 7-12 29, Austin Hutchison 0 0 0-1 0, Brad Meadows 4 0 13-16 21, Wesley Stephens 2 0 0-0 4, Ty Wilcoxon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-51 24-33 81. 3-point goals: 7-15. Rebounds: 30 (Meadows 11) Assists: 16. Turnovers: 4. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.