Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Green Bobcats’ coach Dirk Hollar conceded the first half to the Notre Dame Titans.
But the second half, Hollar said that belonged to his team.
Struggling with the winless Titans in the first half, the Bobcats came to life in the second half en route to a 62-45 Southern Ohio Conference win on Tuesday.
“The first quarter Notre Dame outplayed us and I don’t think they missed an outside shot,” said Hollar.
“They continued to go at us in the second quarter but we were able to hit some big shots before the half and (6-foot-8) Mason Hensley came off the bench and did a great job altering their shots.”
Much of the Green offense was generated by Gage Sampson with a game-high 25 points. Tanner Kimber added 13 points and Caden Blizzard chipped in nine.
Jackson Clark scored 20 points and Ben Mader 18 for the Titans (0-10, 0-7).
Green (7-5, 4-3) took a 15-13 first quarter lead as Sampson, Blizzard and Zach Huffman combined for 13 points.
Cole Herrell, Mader and Clark all hit 3-pointers for the Titans with Harrell and Mader scoring five points each.
Kimber and Blizzard each hit 3-pointers with Sampson and Kimbler scoring five points each to help Green take a 30-20 halftime lead.
Clark scored four points and Mader hit a trifecta in the quarter.
The Bobcats’ offense erupted for 25 points in the third quarter to open up a 55-34 cushion.
Sampson had 10 points while Kimbler hit a pair of treys and scored eight points in the scoring surge.
“Sampson really got going in the third quarter inside and it opened up Kimbler. Caden Blizzard had nine (points) with a big 3 before the half the helped,” said Hollar.
Clark had eight points and Mader had a triple and three foul shots to account for all of the Titans’ scoring in the quarter.
Clark had five more points including a 3-pointer and Mader four points as Notre Dame outscored Green 10-7, but it was nowhere close to what was needed to overtake the Bobcats.
On Friday, Green visits Portsmouth Clay.
Green 15 15 25 7 = 62
Notre Dame 13 7 14 11 = 45
GREEN (7-5, 4-3): Tanner Kimbler 2 3 0-0 13, Tayte Carver 3 0 1-1 7, Gage Sampson 10 0 5-7 25, Caden Blizzard 3 1 0-0 9, Zach Huffman 3 0 0-0 6, Ethan Huffman 0 0 0-0 0, Troy Otworth 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Barber 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Hensley 1 0 0-0 2, Caden Brammer 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Singleton 0 0 0-0 0, Wiley Sanders 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 4 6-8 62. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (0-10, 0-7): Jake McGuire 0 0 0-0 0, Cole Harrell 2 1 0-0 7, Ben Mader 3 3 3-4 18, Jackson Clark 5 2 4-6 20, Caleb Nichols 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Kammer 0 0 0-0 0, Gage Pettay 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 6 7-10 45. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.