Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — The start was the difference.
The Wheelersburg Lady Pirates got off to a fast start and went on to beat the South Point Lady Pointers 55-44 on Saturday.
The Lady Pointers struggled with their offense early and fell behind 18-7 which proved to be the difference in the game.
Abbie Kallner hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points while Kaylee Darnell had a 3-pointers and five points to put the Lady Pirates in front.
Maddy Khounlavong had half her eight points in the quarter and Madison Kearns scored the other three points for South Point.
The Lady Pointers used a pair of trifectas by Emilee Whitt and four points by Kearns to cut the deficit to 31-21 at the half.
South Point cut into the lead again in the third quarter as Whitt hit a triple and Kearns had four more points and it was 42-33.
White and Kearns scored five points each in the fourth quarter but the Lady Pirates were clutch at the foul line as Ellie Ruby was 6-of-7 and Kallner 3-of-4 to preserve the win.
Kearns scored 15 points and Whitt had 14 points to lead the Lady Pointers (3-3).
Kallner had 23 points for Wheelersburg (5-2).
South Point hosts Tolsia, W.Va., on Monday.
Wheelersburg    18    13    11    13    =    55
South Point    7    14    12    8    =    44
WHEELERSBURG (5-2): Kaylee Darnell 1 2 1-2 9, Ellie Ruby 0 0 6-7 6, Abbie Kallner 7 2 3-4 23, Karlie Estep 1 0 0-0 2, Ellie Kallner 0 0 0-0 0, Mallory Bergan 4 0 0-2 8, Bella Williams 1 0 1-2 3, Leann Spradlin 1 0 0-0 2, Paige Emnett 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 16 4 11-17 55. Fouls: 10. Fouled out None.
SOUTH POINT (3-3): Emilee Whitt 1 4 0-0 14, Jaden Howard 0 0 1-2 1, Madddy Khounlavong 4 0 0-0 8, Leah Lawson 1 0 0-0 2, Diamond Crawley 1 0 0-0 2, Madison Kearns 5 1 2-5 15, Ashley Perkey 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 13 5 3-8 44. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Perkey.