Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Tayte Carver is a good listener.
The Green Bobcats found themselves down 9-2 to start the game which led coach Dick Hollar to call a timeout due to his team’s sloppy play. His words didn’t fall on deaf ears with Carver.
“We continued to push the pace to get out in transition and Tayte Carver came alive for the first time this season. He was relentless getting to the rim,” said Hollar.
“He also did a fantastic job of defending Clay’s big man. Our coaching staff knew he was due for a big night and he gave it to us.”
Carver’s 20 points helped back the 25-point effort of teammate Tanner Kimbler as Green went on to blast the Portsmouth Clay Panthers 76-48 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Friday.
“Kimbler led us, but it was a good team effort. Zach Huffman played his usual role taking care of the ball, getting in the lane and really sitting down on the defensive end,” said Hollar.
Caleb Cline had 14 points and Chase Hudson 11 for Portsmouth Clay.
After falling behind 9-2, Green outscored Clay 22-4 the rest of the quarter as Kimbler scored nine points and Carver seven.
Both Kimbler and Caden Blizzard hit 3-pointers and Gage Sampson added five points.
Cline had six points for Clay in the quarter.
Carver scored seven points and Huffman and Kimbler each hit trifectas as Green opened up a 40-24 halftime cushion.
Reece Whitley and Cline combined for nine points in the quarter for Clay.
Kimbler came out hot from the outside in the third quarter with three 3-pointers as he scored 11 points to help Green build a 62-35 lead.
Hudson hit a pair of 3-pointers for the Panthers in the quarter.
The Bobcats hosted St. Joseph on Saturday and entertain Eastern on Tuesday in a key league game.
Green          24    16    22    14    =    76
Ports. Clay    13    11    11    11    =    48
GREEN (3-0, 2-0): Tanner Kimbler 4 5 0-1 23, Tayte Carver 8 0 4-7 20, Gage Sampson 4 0 1-1 9, Caden Blizzard 1 1 1-4 6, Rylee Maynard 2 0 2-4 6, Caden Brammer 0 0 0- 00, Ethan Huffman 0 0 1-2 1, Levi Singleton 0 1 0-0 3, Bryce Ponn 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Barber 1 0 0-0 2, Troy Otworth 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 9 9-19 76. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH CLAY (NA): Mason Newton 1 0 3-4 5, Chase Hudson 2 2 1-1 11, Caleb Cline 7 0 0-0 14, Reece Whitley 3 0 1-4 7, Teddy McCall 0 0 0-0 0, Clay Cottle 1 0 0-0 2, Jared Conkel 0 1 0-0 3, Shaden Malone 2 0 2-2 6, Gage Moore 0 0 0-0 0, Jacob Wellman 0 0 0-2 0, Tyler Hobbs 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 3 7-13 48. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.