Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

All the St. Joseph Flyers really needed was a little push.
Well, maybe more of a pretty firm shove.
That’s what Flyers’ coach Rex Cooksey gave his team as St. Joseph downed the Ohio Valley Christian Defenders 66-44 on Monday.
“I pushed them hard,” said Flyers coach Rex Cooksey. “We played better in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter we played as well as we have all year.
“We played good defense and shared the ball well. We had contributions from everyone. Our shot selection was better and we shot free throws pretty well.”
Chase Walters scored 22 points including 8-of-11 from the foul line to lead the Flyers (7-9). Zach McGraw scored 17 and Zach Roach had 14 points.
Walters also pulled down 14 rebounds with McGraw and Clay Willis grabbing five each. Isaac Whaley had four assists with Roach and McGraw getting three each.
Elijah McDonald scored 22 points including four 3-pointers to lead OVC (7-8).
McGraw scored six and Walters four in the first quarter as St. Joseph took a 15-8 lead. McDonald scored five points and he and Nate Dubs each hit 3-pointers for the Defenders.
McDonald scored seven points in the second quarter as Ohio Valley Christian cut the deficit to 28-23 at the half.
McGraw had five points and the Flyers were 7-of-7 from the line with Roach going 4-of-4 for the Flyers in the quarter.
Isaac Whaley and Clay Willis hit 3-pointers, McGraw was 4-of-4 at the line and Walters scored five points in the third quarter as St. Joseph extended its lead to 46-36.
McDonald had seven more points for OVC.
Roach scored seven points including a 3-pointer and Walters had nine points as he went 3-of-3 from the line and the Flyers outscored the Defenders 20-8 in the fourth quarter.
St. Joseph visits New Boston on Saturday.
Ohio Valley    8    15    13    8    =    44
St. Joseph    15    13    18    20    =    66
OHIO VALLEY CHRISTIAN (7-8): Austin Ragan 3 0 2-2 8, Elijah McDonald 4 4 2-2 22, Hollis Morrison 0 1 1-2 4, Justin Beaver 2 0 0-0 4, Michael Gruber 0 0 0-0 0, Nate Dubs 0 2 0-0 6, Andrew Dubs 0 0 0-0 0, Bryce Gruber 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 9 5 5-6 44. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Beaver.
ST. JOSEPH (7-9): Andrew Lawson 1 0 0-0 2, Isaac Whaley 1 1 0-0 5, Clay Willis 0 2 0-0 6, Zach Roach 2 2 4-5 14, Peyton Adkins 0 0 0-0 0, Zac McGraw 6 0 5-5 17, Tre Neal 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Walker 0 0 0-2 0, Joey Bush 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Walters 7 0 8-11 22, Chase Wilds 0 0 0-2 0, Bryson Canter 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-47 17-25 66. 3-point goals: 5-17. Rebounds: 37 (Walters 14, McGraw 5, Willis 5). Assists: 14 (Whaley 4, Roach 3, McGraw 3). Steals: 7. Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.