Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

GALLIPOLIS — It wasn’t hard to determine where this game was decided: the foul line.

Coal Grove converted only 9-of-22 free throw attempts while Gallipolis made 18-of-25 attempts to give the Blue Devils a 54-46 Ohio Valley Conference win on Tuesday.

Gallipolis (3-3, 3-2) erased a one-point deficit at the end of the third quarter and outscored the Hornets 16-7 in the fourth quarter as the Blue Devils made 10-of-15 foul shots and Coal Grove was just 2-of-8.

The Blue Devils took a 16-9 first quarter lead as Miles Cornwell scored 10 points including a pair of 3-pointers. Daniel Rutherford scored 7 of Coal Grove’s points.

The Hornets cut the deficit to 28-22 at the half as Sam Angelo got 5 points including a 3-pointer. Devin Henry scored 5 points for the Blue Devils.

Angelo scored 6 points, Rutherford and Cole Gannon 4 each and Dalton Miller hit a 3-pointer as Coal Grove rallied to take a 39-38 lead.

But then came the fourth quarter led by Evan Wiseman who went 4-of-4 at the foul line and Cornwell who was 3-of-4.

Rutherford scored a game-high 20 points for the Hornets while Angelo added 12 points.

Wes Jarrell scored 15 and Cornwell 13 to pace Gallipolis.

On Friday, Coal Grove is at Rock Hill and Gallipolis hosts Vincent Warren. South Point travels to Gallipolis on Saturday.

Coal Grove 9 13 17 7 = 46

Gallipolis 16 12 10 16 = 54

COAL GROVE (3-6, 1-4): Cole Gannon 3 0 0-0 6, Daniel Rutherford 7 1 3-12 20, Dalton Miller 0 1 0-0 3, Sam Angelo 2 1 5-8 12, Chase McKnight 1 0 1-2 3, Aaron Music 1 0 0-0 2, Jaylen McKenzie 0 0 0-0 0, Jeb Jones 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 3 9-22 46. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: McKnight.

GALLIPOLIS (3-3, 3-2): Miles Cornwell 2 2 3-4 13, Wes Jarrell 5 0 5-7 15, Evan Wiseman 0 0 4-4 4, Kole Carter 1 0 3-7 5, Devin Henry 4 0 1-1 9, Kaden Thomas 0 0 0-0 0, Justin McClelland 0 0 2-2 2, Justin Peck 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 15 2 18-25 54. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.