By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets were without O.J., but they still had G.G.

Leading scorer Owen Johnson missed his second straight game but Gavin Gipson stepped up with a carer-high 19 points including three 3-pointers as the Hornets beat the Portsmouth Trojans 64-60 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.

Johnson hit a buzzer-beater that gave the Hornets a win over the Trojans in the first meeting this season at Portsmouth.

But Gipson had his big game and Karson Frecka got 12 points and Elijah Dillon 11 to help lead the Hornets to the win.

Portsmouth also had 3 players in double figures as Deandre Berry scored 19, Kenny Sanderlin 17 points and Devon Lattimore 12.

Coal Grove took a 14-11 first quarter lead as Gipson hit a pair of 3-pointers and Frecka had 2 baskets to generate the good start.

Berry hit a 3-pointer and had 5 points while Tyler Duncan also hit a trey for the Trojans.

The lead went to 31-22 at the half as Caden Turner hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points while Gipson and Frecka had 4 each

Sanderlin scored 6 points and Donavon Breech had a triple for the Trojans.

Coal Grove extended its lead to 50-35 at the end of the third quarter. Dryzen Mullens and Dillon each had a 3-pointer and scored 7 points while Gipson hit hit third triple.

Lattimore scored 8 of his points in the quarter and Duncan added a trifecta.

Portsmouth put together a furious rally in the fourth quarter by outscoring the Hornets 25-14, but it was not enough to overcome the big deficit.

Berry hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 12 points, Sanderlin scored 8 points and Breech hit another trey as the Trojans tried to amount the comeback.

Portsmouth    11 11 13 25 = 60

Coal Grove 14 17 19 14 = 64

PORTSMOUTH (xx): Donavon Breech 0 2 0-0 6, Tyler Duncan 0 2 0-0 6, Kenny Sanderlin 7 0 3-6 17, Devon Lattimore 4 0 4-4 12, Noah Livingston 0 0 0-0 0, Lelvaughn Cobb 0 0 0-0 0, Isaiah Lewis 0 0 0-0 0, Luke tine 0 0 0-0 0, Deandre Berry 5 3 0-0 19. Totals: 16 7 7-10 60. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None

COAL GROVE (xx): Gavin Gipson 4 3 2-2 19, Luke Jenkins 0 0 0-0 0, Steven Simpson 0 0 0-0 0, John Turner 0 0 2-2 2, Landon Davis 0 0 3-4 3, Dryzen Mullens 2 1 1-3 8, Elijah Dillon 3 1 2-2 11, Karson Frecka 5 0 2-2 12, Caden Turner 3 1 0-0 9. Totals: 17 6 12-15 64. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.