Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — St. Joseph coach Chris Barnes knows teams will decide to game plan and take guard Zach Roach out of the game.
That was the Green Bobcats’ plan on Friday and it worked in the sense that Roach was held to 4 points. But Roach did the little things to help the Flyers as they beat the Bobcats 72-66 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
Roach drew the attention of defenders and as a results J.C. Damron had a career-high 28 points while Ryan Payne scored 17 to lead the Flyers offensive scoring.
“J.C. played great and Ryan had a nice game and did a great job on Sampson in the post when he guarded him,” said Flyers’ coach Chris Barnes.
“They face-guarded Zach (Roach) all day and he did a great job of getting other people involved and we had everyone contribute and play well.”
Sampson still had another big game for Green (3-3, 0-2) as he scored 23 points including 5-of-6 at the foul line. Levi Sampson hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points.
St. Joseph (3-0, 2-0) took a 17-14 first quarter lead as Damron scored 8 points and Payne 7 points including a trifecta.
Gage and Levi Sampson combined for 9 points in the quarter.
The Bobcats rallied to tie the game 30-all at the half as Gage Sampson scored 6 points — he was 4-of-4 at the line — and Alec Smith got 5 of his 7 points while Levi Singleton hit a 3-pointer.
Matt Sheridan came up big for the Flyers with 7 points including a trey and Jackson Rowe also knocked down a triple for the Flyers.
The biggest difference in the game came in the third quarter as the Flyers began clicking on all cylinders and outscored Green 25-12 to take a 55-42 lead.
Damron scored 14 points as he hit a 3-pointer and converted 5-of-6 at the foul line. Payne buried a pair of 3-pointers and Jimmy Mahlmeister also hit a shot from behind the arc.
Levi Sampson hit a pair of 3-pointers for Green.
In the fourth quarter, Green got its offense up and running by outscoring the Flyers 24-17. Gage Sampson had 8 points, Ethan Huffman 6 and Levi Sampson 5 points including a 3-pointer.
But the Flyers converted 9-of-10 free throws in the quarter as Damron was 3-of-4 and Payne, Mahlmeister and Jackson Rowe each 2-for-2 to secure the road win.
“We had a great third quarter and that was the difference in the game. And we had great foul shooting under pressure when they kept putting us on the foul line in the fourth quarter,” said Barnes. “It was a very hard-fought game by both teams.”
St. Joseph host Northwest on Saturday and Western on Tuesday. Green entertains Fairview on Saturday and visits East on Tuesday.
St. Joseph 17 13 25 17 = 72
Green 14 16 12 24 = 66
ST. JOSEPH (3-0, 2-0): Jackson Rowe 0 1 2-2 5, Matt Sheridan 2 1 0-0 7, Zach Roach 2 0 0-0 4, Ryan Payne 2 3 4-4 17, J.C. Damron 8 1 9-12 28, Mike Mahlmeister 0 0 0-0 0, Jimmy Mahlmeister 2 1 2-2 9, Max Weber 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 17 7 17-20 72. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (3-3, 0-2): Alec Smith 3 0 1-1 7, Levi Singleton 1 1 0-0 5, Levi Sampson 2 4 1-2 17, Gage Sampson 9 0 5-6 23, Mason Hensley 1 0 1-2 3, Ethan Huffman 4 0 0-0 8, Trevor Darnell 0 1 0-0 3, Troy Otworth 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 6 8-11 66. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.