Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — Several times this season the Rock Hill Redmen have flirted with a victory only to be left with “nice shot but no cigar.”
The Redmen were feeling like the late Boston Celtics’ coach Red Auerbach who was known for puffing on his victory cigar after getting their first win of the season as they rallied past the South Point Pointers 76-68 in an Ohio Valley Conference makeup game on Wednesday.
The victory marked the first career victory for Rock Hill head coach Gordy Collins.
“I’m very proud of the boys and the way they played. They’ve given a great effort all season. We haven’t given up or quit and we came out with a very good win against a quality opponent in South Point,” said Collins.
Jaret Bacorn scored a career-high 29 points and Kadin France also had a career-high as he scored 20 points to lead the Redmen.
Bacorn grabbed 18 rebounds and France pulled down 15 as Rock Hill outrebounded South Point 40-17.
Logan Hankins scored 12 points and Braden Stamper added nine for Rock Hill (1-13, 1-10). Jake Blagg had seven assists and four steals.
Tayshaun Fox needed 25 points to reach 1,000 points in his career. The South Point Pointers’ 5-11 junior guard scored 28 points to eclipse the milestone.
Jared Whitt hit three 3-pointers and scored 16 points for the Pointers (7-9, 3-7).
Fox scored five points including a 3-pointer, Whitt hit two 3-pointers and Austin Webb had four points as South Point took a 22-13 first quarter lead.
Bacorn scored eight points and Hankins hit a 3-pointer in the quarter for the Redmen.
Rock Hill stormed back in the second quarter to get within 31-30 at the half.
Bacorn scored eight points and Stamper hit a 3-pointer as the Redmen outscored South Point 17-9.
Whitt had four points and Fox hit a triple in the quarter.
South Point went up 50-48 after three quarters as Fox scored nine points and Whitt scored six. Rock Hill got seven points from Bacorn while Hankins hit a 3-pointer and scored four points.
France and Bacorn fueled the fourth quarter comeback as Rock Hill outscored the Pointes 28-18.
France was 4-of-5 from the foul line and scored 14 points in the quarter and Bacorn had six more points. Hankins added four points.
Fox had nine points and Chance Gunther four to pace the Pointers.
On Friday, Rock Hills visits Coal Grove and South Point travels to Gallipolis.
Rock Hill    13    17    18    28    =    76
South Point    22    9    19    18    =    68
ROCK HILL (1-13, 1-10): Jake Blagg 1 0 3-4 5, Garrett Miller 0 0 1-2 1, IsaaJake Blagg 1 0 3-4 5, Garrett Miller 0 0 1-2 1, Isaac Floyd 0 0 0-0 0, Logan Hankins 4 1 1-1 12, Braden Stamper 2 1 2-4 9, Jaret Bacorn 13 0 3-5 29, Kadin France 7 0 6-7 20, Logan Reed 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 29-56 16-23 76. 3-pt goals: 2-5. Rebounds: 11-O, 29-D = 40 (Bacorn 18, France 15). Assists: 13 (Blagg 7). Steals: 9 (Blagg 4). Blocks: 3 (Bacorn 3). Turnovers: 21. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Blagg.
SOUTH POINT (7-9, 3-7): Chance Gunther 3 0 2-2 8, Derek McCarty 0 0 0-0 0, Roger Staggs 0 0 4-6 4, Douglas Shaffer 0 1 0-0 3, Jared Whitt 2 3 3-4 16, Tayshaun Fox 8 2 6-12 28, Marcus Malone 0 0 0-00, Dustin McCarty 0 0 2-2 2, Austin Webb 3 0 1-2 7. Totals: 22-51 18-28 68. 3-pt goals: 6-17. Rebounds: 5-O, 12-D = 17 (Whitt 6, Webb 5). Steals: 13 (Fox 4, Shaffer 2, Gunther 2). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.