Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — It was Saturday, but school was back in session.
St. Joseph coach Chris Barnes said his team got quite a lesson as the Flyers lost 63-36 to the Green Bobcats on Saturday night.
“Isaac Whaley did a great job on (Tanner) Kimbler, but we played poor defense other than that. And we were terrible on offense. We couldn’t catch a pass or shoot,” said Barnes.
“Hey, Green is a good team. They spanked us but we will bounce back. Our young guns learned a lesson tonight.”
The trio of Gage Sampson, Tayte Carver and Caden Blizzard combined for 59 of the Bobcats 63 points. Sampson had 25 points, Carver 20 and Blizzard 14.
Ryan Payne had 10 points to lead the Flyers (2-1). Zach Roach added eight while Isaac Whaley and J.C. Damron had seven each.
“We finally put in a team effort offensively and defensively. We shared the ball, took care of it, and defended,” said Green coach Dirk Hollar.
“The defense and effort was the best I’ve seen since we went out to Coal Grove. Kimbler still isn’t 100 percent, but he took care of the ball and all eyes are on him so it’s opening up his teammates.”
Green was up 11-5 at the end of the first quarter as Blizzard had five points including a 3-pointer. Damron scored all of St. Joseph’s points.
Sampson had eight points and Carver seven in the second quarter as Green (2-2) took a 29-22 halftime lead.
Payne hit a pair of trifectas and scored seven points while Roach had a trey and three foul shots to keep the Flyers close.
But things changed in the third quarter as the Bobcats outscored the Flyers 19-6 to open up a 48-28 lead.
Carver had 11 points and Sampson six more in the quarter.
Sampson had seven points and Blizzard four as Green continued to extend its lead.
Whaley and Payne hit 3-pointers for the Flyers.
St. Joseph hosts Portsmouth Notre Dame on Wednesday. Green visits Eastern on Tuesday.
St. Joseph 5 17 6 8 = 36
Green 11 18 19 15 = 63
ST. JOSEPH (2-1): Isaac Whaley 0 2 1-2 7, Zach Roach 0 1 5-6 8, Ryan Payne 0 3 1-2 10, J.C. Damron 2 1 0-0 7, Jimmy Mahlmeister 0 0 0-0 0, Jackson Rowe 0 0 0-0 0, Matt Sheridan 1 00-0 2, Jared Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, Michael Mahlmeister 0 0 0-0 0, Max Weber 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 4 7 7-10 36. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (2-2): Tanner Kimbler 0 0 0-0 0, Tayte Carver 7 1 3-5 20, Gage Sampson 8 0 9-10 25, Caden Blizzard 4 1 3-4 14, Zach Huffman 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Huffman 1 0 0-0 2, Troy Otworth 1 0 0-0 2, Levi Singleton 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Barber 0 0 0-0 0, Caden Brammer 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Hensley 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 2 15-19 63. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.