By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — Caleb Lovely was at it again. This time, however, his teammates didn’t hesitate to join in.

Lovely scored 25 points including four 3-pointers and South Point had 8 players in the scoring column as they beat the Coal Grove Hornets 54-38 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.

“That was a good team win. We had a lot of people making contributions which is something we need to have,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise.

Lovely buried a couple of trifectas and scored 10 points while Xathan Haney got a basket as South Point led 12-5 after the first quarter.

Dryzen Mullens hit a 3-pointer for the Hornets.

Jackson Childers came off the bench in the second quarter and scored 7 points including a 3-pointers with Lovely also hitting a 3-pointer and scoring 5 points and the Pointers were up 28-20 at the half.

Mullens had another 3-pointer and scored 8 points and Elijah Dillon also had a trey to keep the Hornets close.

The Pointers (9-3, 6-1) created a little breathing room in the third quarter as they extended the lead to 44-32. Lovely and Vance each had 3-pointer and scored 6 points apiece while Jordan Ermalovich got all 4 of his points.

Karson Frecka scored half of Coal Grove’s 12 points in the quarter and Mullens added another 3-pointer for the Hornets.

Lovely had 4 points early in the fourth quarter before Wise began to empty his bench.

Coal Grove could manage only 6 points in the quarter as Frecka got a basket and both Mullens and Dillon went 2-of-2 at the foul line.

Lovely also had 6 rebounds. Xander Dornon, Brayden Hanshaw, Vance and Ermalovich had 4 rebounds each with Ermalovich handing out 4 assists.

Mullens finished with 16 points and Frecka scored 12 for the Hornets (3-8, 2-5).

South Point    12 16 16 10 = 54

Coal Grove 5 15 12 6 = 38

SOUTH POINT (9-3, 6-1):Caleb Lovely 6 4 1-4 25, Carter Smith 1 0 0-0 2, Elijah Wilburn 0 0 0-0 0, Xathan Haney 1 0 0-0 2, Deshaun Garred 0 0 0-0 0, Josh Childers 0 0 0-0 0, Jaxon Vance 1 2 1-1 9, Jordan Ermalovich 2 0 0-0 4, Brayden Hanshaw 1 0 0-2 2, Xander Dornon 1 0 0-0 2, Jackson Childers 3 1 0-0 9. Totals: 23-44 2-6 54. 3-pt goals: 6-17. Rebounds: 27 (Lovely 6, Dornon 4, Hanshaw 4, Ermalovich 4, Vance 4). Assists: 13 (Ermalovich 4) Steals: 4. Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

COAL GROVE (3-8, 2-5): Gavin Gipson 0 0 4-4 4, Luke Jenkins 0 0 0-0 0, Steven Simpson 0 0 0-0 0, Kaden Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, John Turner 0 0 0-0 0, Landon Davis 0 0 1-2 1, Dryzen Mullens 2 3 3-4 16, Elijah Dillon 0 1 2-2 5, Karson Frecka 6 0 0-2 12, Caden Turner 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 4 10-14 38. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: Gipson.