By Tim Gearhart

For The Ironton Tribune

Levi Sampson poured in 39 points Tuesday night to lead the Green Bobcats to a 66-54 Southern Ohio Conference victory over the Ironton St. Joseph Flyers.

Sampson burned the net for 14 points in the first quarter to give the Bobcats 25-7 start. The 18-point margin allowed Green to withstand a pair of St. Joe rallies later in the game.

Three other Bobcats got on the scoreboard in the opening period. Gabe McBee contributed 5 points, including one from behind the arc. Abe McBee had a pair of buckets and Levi Blevins contributed the remaining 2 points.

St. Joe’s first quarter scoring came on a 3 pointer by Elijah Rowe and a pair of deuces, one each from Wesley Neal and Drew Brown.

The Flyers first rally came in the second period as the team added 15 to its total while holding the Bobcats to 9.

Chucky McCloud launched a 3 pointer and a 2; Neal had a pair of field goals and Rowe and Brown had one each. Zach Johnson picked up two points at the foul line.

The Bobcats’ Gabe McBee got hot in the third quarter picking up 9 of his team’s 16, while the Flyers added 12 to their total.

St. Joe rallied again in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell short. While they outscored the Bobcats 20-16 in the final period it wasn’t enough to erase the disastrous first quarter.

Scoring leader Sampson got 17 of his 39 points at the foul line. He missed only two foul shots in the game. He went 4-4 in the first quarter, then 7-8 in the third and 6-7 in the fourth. He had 11 2-point buckets.

Gabe McBee was the only other Green player in double figures with 18.

St. Joe had four players in double digits. Michael Mahlmeister and Chucky McCloud had 11 each, while Neal and Brow each contributed 10.

Green            25     9    16    16    =    66

St. Joseph     7    15    12    20    =    54

Green: Levi Sampson 11 0 17-19 39, Levi Blevins 2 1 0-0 5, Gabe McBee 7 1 1-2 18, McBee 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 22 2 16-21 66. Fouls: 18. Fouled Out: None.

Ironton St. Joseph: Kei Coleman 1 1 0-0 5, Wesley Neal 5 0 0-0 10, Michael Mahlmeiser 5 0 1-2 11, Elijah Rose 1 1 0-0 5, Chucky McCloud 4 1 0-3 11, Zach Johnson 0 0 2-2 2, Drew Brown 4 0 2-2 10. Totals: 20 3 5-9 54. Fouls: 17. Fouled Out: None.