Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Maybe Spray-N-Grow works on more than plants.

Instead of spraying disinfectant in the basketball locker room, Rock Hill coach Gordy Collins may have used Spay-N-Grow because his team certainly did just that as the Redmen beat the Portsmouth Trojans 59-54 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.

“This is a grow up win for the boys,” said Redmen coach Gordy Collins. “(Brayden Adams) Larry and Owen (Hankins) had another strong night for us.”

“Vic Day came off the bench to hit a couple of big shots and played strong defensively. (Brayden) Malone and (Lane) Smith were huge in the paint and Noah (Doddridge) played a great all-around game again. It was a very good team win.”

Rock Hill (4-3, 2-2) took a 14-10 first quarter lead as six different players had a basket except for Hankins who had 4 points.

Dariyonne Bryant had 6 points in the quarter for the Trojans (3-6, 0-4).

The Redmen opened up a 332-19 halftime cushion as Adams hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points and Doddridge was 4-for-4 at the line.

Kenny Sanderlin had 5 points including 3-for-4 at the foul line in the quarter for Portsmouth.

The Trojans began a comeback in the third quarter as Deandre  Berry hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 9 points while Bryant had 6 more points and Rock Hill’s lead was 43-37.

“We had a good lead in the first half, but credit Portsmouth for coming back hard in the second half,” said Collins. “Our boys played their tails off to maintain their lead and hit some big free throws.”

But in the fourth quarter, the Redmen converted 4-of-6 at the foul line in the fourth quarter with Hankins and Adams each going 2-for-2. Adams scored 6 points and Victor Day had 4 of his 6 points.

Sanderlin scored 10 points including 4-of-5 at the foul line and Tyler Duncan hit a triple for the Trojans in the quarter.

Hankins and Adams scored 15 points each to lead the Redmen while Malone and Smith had 8 points each.

Sanderlin scored 17 and Bryant 16 for the Trojans.

Rock Hill will host South Point on Tuesday.

Rock Hill 14 18 11 16 = 59

Portsmouth 10 9 18 17 = 54

ROCK HILL (4-3, 2-2): Noah Doddridge 1 0 5-6 7, Owen Hankins 5 0 5-6 15, Brayden Adams 5 1 2-2 15, Trent Williams 0 0 0-0 0, Victory Day 3 0 0-2 6, Brayden Malone 4 0 0-0 8, Lane Smith 4 0 0-0 8. Totals: 22 1 12-16 59. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH (3-6, 0-4): Devon Lattimore 1 0 0-0 2, Daewin Spence 0 0 0-0 0, Dariyonne Bryant 8 0 0-0 16, Tyler Duncan 0 2 0-0 6, Kenny Sanderlin 5 0 7-9 17, Donovan Carr 0 0 0-0 0, Deandre Berry 3 2 1-1 13. Totals: 17 4 8-10 54. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.