Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets might have been looking back and looking ahead and didn’t realize they needed to look at the task at hand.
Coming off an upset of Gallipolis on Tuesday and a big game against unbeaten and fifth-ranked Oak Hill on Saturday, the Hornets nearly got a taste of an upset on Friday when they escaped the Rock Hill Redmen 49-46.
Rock lost by one point at Ironton on Tuesday and then won at South Point on Wednesday for their first victory of the season.
Jordan Case scored 10 points and Jeb Jones had eight points to lead a balanced Coal Grove offense.
Sam Angelo and Alijah Roman scored seven each while Aaron Music added six for the Hornets (11-4, 7-3).
Rock Hill (1-14, 1-11) was led by Jaret Bacorn with 13 points and Braden Stamper with 10 as he hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Logan Hankins added nine points and Jake Blagg scored eight for the Redmen who were playing their third game in four days.
Coal Grove led 13-11 after the first quarter as Roman hit a 3-pointer and scored five points. Four other players each had a basket.
Stamper hit a 3-pointer as five different players scored for Rock Hill.
The Hornets went up 22-16 at the half as Jones scored three points with Case, Roman and Jalen McKenzie getting two each.
Rock Hill cut the lead to 37-32 in the third quarter as Bacorn had six points and both Stamper and Hankins had five points including a 3-pointer.
Cory Borders and Nate Harmon each made 3-pointers for the Hornets in the quarter.
The Redmen outscored the Hornets 14-12 in the fourth quarter but fell just short.
Blagg scored six of his points and Bacorn had four more.
Case scored six points while Angelo knocked down a 3-pointer as the Hornets held on for the win.
Coal Grove hosts Oak Hill on Saturday and entertains Chesapeake on Tuesday. Rock Hill visits Portsmouth on Tuesday.
Rock Hill    11    5    16    14    =    46
Coal Grove    13    9    15    12    =    49
ROCK HILL (1-14, 1-11): Cody Roberts 1 0 0-0 2, Jake Blagg 4 0 0-0 8, Garrett Miller 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Floyd 0 0 0-0 0, Logan Hankins 3 1 0-0 9, Braden Stamper 1 2 2-2 10, Jaret Bacorn 5 0 3-4 13, Kadin France 1 0 2-4 4. Totals: 15 3 7-10 46. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None
COAL GROVE (11-4, 7-3): Aaron Music 3 0 0-1 6, Cordy Borders 0 1 0-0 3, Jordan Case 5 0 0-0 10, Jeb Jones 3 0 2-6 8, Nate Harmon 0 1 0-0 3, Jalen McKenzie 2 0 1-2 5, Sam Angelo 2 1 0-0 7, Alijah Roman 2 1 0-0 7. Totals: 17 4 3-9 49. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.