By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

The St. Joseph Flyers might want to bring a set of jumper cables to their games.

The Flyers struggled at the outset of Tuesday’s game before getting into gear and beat the Sciotoville East Tartans 55-45.

“We did everything in our power not to win,” said Flyers’ coach Jeremy Williams. “We started slow again. We couldn’t get going and then when we finally did we just took off.”

St. Joseph (11-7) fell behind 15-8 in the first quarter as they missed three layup attempts to start the game and failed to convert eight layups in the first half alone.

But the defense held East to seven points in the second quarter while the offense rallied to take a 24-22 halftime lead as Justin Mahlmeister and Tanner Riley combined for 10 points in the second quarter.

“When I say we missed layups, I mean wide open layups that were basically uncontested. We finally got them to start falling,” said Williams.

Riley had four more points in the third quarter as the Flyers moved ahead 35-30.

Five different players scored in the fourth quarter and St. Joseph pulled away to the win.

Mahlmeister had 17 points and six rebounds to pace the Flyers. Riley finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Payton Blair added nine points, six assists and seven steals.

Patrick Bias led East with 10 points.

The Flyers hosts Raceland, Ky., on Thursday.

Sciotoville East 15 7 8 15 = 45

Saint Joseph 8 16 11 20 = 55

SCIOTOVILLE EAST (1-17): Nathan King 1 0 0-0 2, Cody Belville 0 0 0-0 0, Justin Crager 3 0 2-3 8, Nathan Toller 1 1 1-2 6, J.C. Evans 2 1 1-2 8, T.J. Taylor 1 1 0-0 5, Cory Haywood 2 0 2-4 6, Patrick Bias 5 0 0-0 10. Totals: 18-47 6-11 45. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 3-13. Rebounds: 30 (Haywood 11, Crager 9). Assists: 6. Steals: 3. Turnovers: 22.

SAINT JOSEPH (11-7): Payton Blair 2 1 2-2 9, Grant Geswein 0 0 0-0 0, Joseph Payton 0 0 0-0 0, Aaron Haas 0 0 0-0 0, Zack Dalton 0 0 0-0 0, Eli Lewis 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Blackburn 2 10-1 7, Tanner Riley 4 1 4-4 15, Justin Mahlmeister 7 1 0-1 17, T.J. Young 2 0 3-3 7, Lane Johnson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-54 9-11 55. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 4-17. Rebounds: 28 (Riley 7, Mahlmeister 6). Assists: 14 (Blair 6, Riley 4). Steals: 12 (Blair 7). Turnovers: 12. Blocked shots: Lewis 1.