The temperature went from 325 degrees to 450 real quickly.

By turning up the heat on defense, the South Point Lady Pointers turned a 3-point lead into a 58-40 win over the Coal Grove Lady Hornets Thursday in a key Ohio Valley Conference game.

South Point was leading 10-4 in the first quarter before a 3-pointer by Taylor Sexton got Coal Grove within 10-7.

But in the second quarter, Kayla Fletcher and Jalynn Bradburn combined to account for all of South Point’s scoring as they built a 27-14 halftime cushion.

“Defensively we really got after it tonight. We out-rebounded them and that was one of the things we talked about,” said Lady Pointers’ coach Dave Adams.

“We just put more pressure on them defensively, and we got a lot of transition baskets off steals and long rebounds.”

Each team scored 15 points in the third quarter and it was 42-29. Fletcher had five points and all five starters scored for South Point while Jordyn Cox scored six points and Sexton hit another trey for the Lady Hornets.

Tinesha Taylor got six points in the fourth quarter as the Lady Pointers led by as many as 24 points.

“Tinesha played well. When she gives us a post presence, it helps,” said Adams.

“Their 3’s energize their offense and we didn’t let them get on a roll. And we were more patient on offense tonight.”

South Point is now 8-1 overall and 3-0 in the OVC. Coal Grove fell to 7-3 and 3-1.

“They’re a good team and they played good defense,” said Lady Hornets’ coach Nick Miller. “When we got down 10 at the end, we had to take some 3’s to get back in the game and they were able to open the lead up.”

The Lady Pointers had four players in double figures as Bradburn scored 15, Taylor 14, Fletcher 12, and Ericka Leighty 11.

Cox had 14 points and Chelsea Delong 10 for Coal Grove.

Coal Grove 7 7 15 11 = 40

South Point 10 17 15 16 = 58

COAL GROVE (7-3, 3-1): Jordyn Cox 3 1 5-7 14, Chelsea Delong 5 0 0-0 10, Taylor Sexton 0 2 0-0 6, Danielle Carpenter 2 0 0-0 4, Katie Harrison 1 0 0-0 2, Kelli McMackin 1 0 0-1 2, Abby Nance 0 0 2-2 2, Kim Hanshaw 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 3 7-10 40. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 21. Assists: 5. Steals: 3. Turnovers: 14.

SOUTH POINT (8-1, 3-0): Allison Mitchell 1 0 2-2 4, Kayla Fletcher 3 2 0-0 12, Ashley Goodall 1 0 0-0 2, Ericka Leighty 5 0 1-2 11, Jalynn Bradburn 3 1 6-9 15, Tinesha Taylor 6 0 2-2 14. Totals: 19 3 11-15 58. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 3 (Taylor 10, Leighty 7, Mitchell 6). Assists: 9 (Fletcher 5). Steals: 8 (Fletcher 5). Turnovers: 6.