By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

ASHLAND, Ky. — It became a reoccurring theme. Get the ball to Eli Lewis and then watch him score.

The St. Joseph junior center scored a career-high 31 points as the Flyers beat the Rose Hill Royals 75-69 on Friday.

Justin Mahlmeister added 23 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists for the Flyers (10-10). Troy Scott added 10 points while Lewis had 5 rebounds along with 2 steals.

“We didn’t play well the first half but we picked it up in the second half,” said Flyers’ coach Jeremy Williams.

“Eli dominated in the second half. They had a smaller guy on him and we just kept getting (Lewis) the ball.”

Andrew Wilhoit scored 31 points and Troy Stafford 23 for Rose Hill (1-28).

Lewis and Scott scored 6 points each in the first quarter to offset 10 points by Stafford as St. Joseph took a 19-15 lead.

But Ike Palmer, Zack Dalton and Lewis were all whistled with two fouls in the first quarter forcing Williams to go to his bench early.

Lewis came back to score 6 points in the second quarter but Wilhoit had 12 as the Royals took a 37-30 halftime lead.

Lewis scored 8 points in the third quarter as St. Joseph got within 52-51, but more foul trouble hit the same Flyer trio.

Mahlmeister then scored 9 points in the fourth quarter and Lewis came back to score 11 more as the Flyers rallied to outscore Rose Hill 24-17. Wilhoit had another dozen points in the quarter.

“Lane (Johnson) had been sick but he came in and did a good job and Justin took over,” said Williams. “We started rebounding and pushing the ball and getting some easy baskets.”

The Flyers play South Gallia at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Meigs High School in the Division IV sectional tournament.

St. Joseph 19 11 21 24 = 75

Rose Hill 15 22 15 17 = 69

SAINT JOSEPH (10-10): Grant Geswein 1 0 0-0 2, Ike Palmer 1 0 5-9 7, Joseph Payton 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter Pemberton 0 0 0-0 0, Zack Dalton 0 0 0-0 0, Eli Lewis 10 0 11-13 31, Justin Mahlmeister 4 4 3-4 23, Troy Scott 5 0 0-0 10, Lane Johnson 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 26-43 19-26 75. 3-point goals: 4-10. Rebounds: 23 (Mahlmeister 8, Lewis 5). Assists: 11 (Palmer 3, Mahlmeister 3). Steals: 4 (Lewis 2). Blocked shots: 1 (Lewis). Turnovers: 3. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Dalton.

ROSE HILL (1-28): Andrew Wilhoit 5 4 9-10 31, Zach Wilson 0 0 1-5 1, Matt Workman 2 1 1-1 8, Travis Dudding 0 2 0-0 6, Troy Stafford 7 2 3-4 23, Evan Centers 0 0 0-0 0, Andrew Garnes 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-46 14-20 69. 3-point goals: 9-15. Rebounds: 20 (Wilhoit 11). Assists: 6 (Wilson 3). Steals: 2 (Workman 2). Blocked shots: 1 (Workman). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Dudding, Stafford.