CHESAPEAKE - The showdown for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference turned out to be a showcase for the Chesapeake Panthers.

In a battle for sole possession of first place in the OVC, Chesapeake blitzed the Rock Hill Redmen 56-33 Friday night.

Chesapeake is now 12-1 overall and 5-1 in the league. Rock Hill falls to 8-4 and 4-1 in the conference, one-half game behind the Panthers.

"It was a good win, but they're all good for us," Panthers coach Norm Persin said. "Overall, we didn't play great but we played solid and that's what you have to do in big games."

P.J. Rase had 11 points to lead the Panthers. Trent Finley had

and Brennan Hall scored nine each. Andy Stapleton had six rebounds and Hall five.

The Panthers were 19 of 38 from the field for 50 percent, and 15 of 23 at the line for 65 percent.

K.C. Christian led the Redmen with 11 points.

Chesapeake opened with a 7-0 run. Rock Hill didn't score until Rickie McDonie's basket at the 3:38 mark. Daniel Thompson had six points including a jumper at the buzzer as the Panthers went on top 13-4.

"Our intensity picked up as the game went along, but I don't think we had real good defensive intensity at the beginning of the game," Redmen coach Marty Mills said.

Justin Porter had six points in the second quarter as the lead went to 28-17 at the break.

Neither team was able to alter the game in the third quarter and Chesapeake was up 40-27 heading into the fourth quarter.

Hall had seven of his points in the final stanza and the Panthers converted 8 of 11 from the line to seal the outcome.

"We told our kids to be ready to play because Rock Hill guards people really well. They jump to the ball well, and they are a physical defensive team. We just told our kids they had to match their intensity and we did," Persin said.

The intensity reached a boiling point in the fourth quarter when the game was marred by excessive physical play that resulted in several technical fouls and a shouting match between coaches and players.

Rock Hill413106-33

Chesapeake13151216-56

ROCK HILL (8-4, 4-1):

K.C. Christian 3 1 2-4 11, T.J. Blagg 0 0 0-0 0, Sean Mullins 2 0 1-2 5, Artie Mullins 0 1 0-0 3, Cade 1 0 0-1 2, McDonie 1 0 0-0 2, Zach Mullins 2 0 0-0 4, Derek Martin 2 0 2-4 6. Totals: 11 2 5-11 33. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Joseph.

CHESAPEAKE (12-1, 5-1):

Brennan Hall 2 0 5-7 9, Dustin O'Brien 1 0 0-0 2, Daniel Thompson 3 0 2-2 8, Justin Porter 3 0 2-2 8, P.J. Rase 4 0 3-3 11, Trent Finley 0 3 0-1 9, Greg Boster 1 0 0-0 2, Andy Stapleton 2 0 1-4 5, Jeremy Miller 0 0 1-2 1. Totals: 19-38 (3)

15-23

56. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 28 (Stapleton 6, Hall 5). Assists: 12 (Thompson 3). Steals: 9 (Rase 3). Turnovers: 11.