Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — Levi Blankenship has been known to take over a game. And for anyone who didn’t know, Blankenship gave a lesson Tuesday night so they would know.

The Chesapeake senior guard poured in 38 points as he helped lead the Panthers to a 67-65 upset win over the No. 6-ranked South Point Pointers in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Blankenship did have some help, though. Ben Bragg and Dannie Maynard scored 10 points each and J.D. Daniels added 8 points for the Panthers (6-3, 3-3).

South Point (9-2, 5-1) dropped into a virtual first place tie with Fairland. The Pointers were led by Caleb Schneider with 24 points and Mason Kazee with 21.

Xander Dornon scored 6 and Schneider 4 as the Pointers took a 12-4 first quarter lead. Blankenship hit a 3-pointer for the Panthers.

Chesapeake caught fire in the second quarter, well, Blankenship caught fire in the second quarter as he scored 18 of the Panthers’ 22 points to cut the Pointers’ lead to 30-26 at the half.

Blankenship had a 3-pointer, went 3-of-3 at the line to got with six other baskets. Maynard hit a 3-pointer and Braxton Oldaker sank a foul shot for the rest of Chesapeake’s points.

The Pointers maintained the lead because Schneider had another trey and he was 6-of-8 at the line for 9 points while Kazee hit a pair of 3-pointers.

Chesapeake had more balance in the third quarter and took a 42-38 lead as Blankenship hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points, Maynard and Bragg scored 4 each and Daniels knocked down a triple.

Schneider and Jordan Ermalovich each connected on 3-pointers while Malik Pegram had a basket to account for all of the Pointers’ scoring in the quarter.

But the Pointers rallied to tie the game in the fourth quarter as Kazen had 8 points as he and Schneider each made a pair of 3-pointers while Ermalovich added a pair of baskets.

Blankenship and Maynard combined for 10 points in the quarter.

In overtime, Blankenship hit another 3-pointer and scored 5 points, Daniels made his second triple and Bragg had 3 points.

Kazee got 7 of the Pointers’ 9 points in the overtime including his fifth 3-pointer.

On Friday, Chesapeake will host Rock Hill and South Point entertains Portsmouth.

South Point 12 18 8 18 9 = 65

Chesapeake 4 22 16 14 11 = 67

SOUTH POINT (9-2, 5-1): Caleb Schneider 1 4 10-12 24, Jake Adams 2 0 1-1 5, Mason Kazee 3 5 0-0 21, Malik Pegram 1 0 0-0 2, Jordan Ermalovich 2 1 0-0 7, Xander Dornon 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 12 10 11-13 65. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (6-3, 3-3): Caleb Cox 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Blankenship 10 4 6-7 38, Dannie Maynard 3 1 1-3 10, J.D. Daniels 1 2 0-0 8, Austin Henderson 0 0 0-0 0, Braxton Oldaker 0 0 1-3 1, Ben Bragg 4 0 2-4 10. Totals: 18 7 10-17 67. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Maynard.

Boys Basketball

Standings

Ohio Valley Conference

Boys’ Basketball Standings

Team                             OVC               All

W L W L

South Point 5 1 9 2

Fairland 4 1 10 3

Chesapeake 3 3 6 3

Ironton 2 2 2 5

Coal Grove 2 3 4 5

Rock Hill 2 4 5 5

Gallipolis 1 3 6 3

Portsmouth 1 4 4 6

Southern Ohio Conference 1

Boys’ Basketball Standings

Team                             SOC               All

W L W L

Sym. Valley 7 1 11 2

Western 6 2 12 2

Notre Dame 4 3 5 5

St. Joseph 3 4 5 6

New Boston 3 4 5 5

Green 3 4 4 6

Sciotoville 1 6 2 7

Ports. Clay 0 8 0 14