Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — So close and yet so far.
The South Point Pointers lost in overtime for the second straight game and added to yet another tough loss this season.
Bailey Walker hit a 3-pointer as the buzzer to lift the Gallipolis Blue Devils over the Pointers 56-53 on Tuesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
‘We started off well and then let them back in it. We had to fight on every possession,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise.
“Little things here and there killed us. We held (Justin) McClelland to 10 and (Cory) Call only four. But they had some other kids step up for them.”
Chance Gunther scored 21 points and Austin Webb added 11 for the Pointers (8-13, 5-8).
Blaine Carter and Walker scored 17 points each to pace Gallipolis with McClelland adding 10.
Carter scored four in first quarter with McClelland and Walker each hitting a 3-pointer and the Blue Devils led 10-9. Webb scored four and Gunther hit a trey for the Pointers.
Four different players scored in the second quarter as Gallipolis went up 19-15 at the half. Webb had four more points and Brody Blackwell hit a trifecta for South Point.
The Pointers came to life in the third quarter as they tied the game at 32. Gunther hit a triple and scored five points while Roger Staggs, Marcus Malone and Mason Kazee all hit 3-pointers.
Walker hit a 3-pointer and had five points with Carter getting four in the quarter.
Gunther scored eight points and Nakyan Turner hit a triple and had five points in the fourth quarter as each team scored 15 points.
Carter got six points and Cole Davis had four points for the Blue Devils.
In overtime, McClelland made a triple and sank a free throw but Walker had five points including the game-winner.
The Pointers could only manage a basket and two free throws by Gunther and a bucket by Turner.
On Friday, South Point hosts Coal Grove and Gallipolis goes to Chesapeake.
Gallipolis 10 9 13 15 9 = 56
South Point 9 6 17 15 6 = 53
GALLIPOLIS (12-8, 8-5): Cole Davis 3 0 2-2 8, Caleb Henry 0 0 0-0 0, Justin McClelland 1 2 2-4 10, Blaine Carter 7 0 3-5 17, Cory Call 2 0 0- 4, Ben Cox 0 0 0-0 0, Justin Wilcoxon 0 0 0-0 0, Bailey Walker 3 3 2-2 17. Totals: 16 5 9-12 56. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.
SOUTH POINT (8-13, 5-8): Maddox McCallister 0 0 0-0 0, Chance Gunther 5 2 5-6 21, Nakyan Turner 2 1 0-0 7, Roger Staggs 1 1 0-0 5, Austin Webb 5 0 1-4 11, Kyle Badgett 0 0 0-0 0, Marcus Malone 0 1 0-0 3, Brody Blackwell 0 1 0-0 3, Mason Kazee 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 13 7 6-10 53. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.