By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — Facing what looked to be a critical Ohio Valley Conference loss, the South Point Pointers did an about face.

Trailing most of the game, the Pointers took the lead and held on for the win as they beat the Gallipolis Blue Devils 54-52 on Tuesday.

The comeback enabled the Pointers to remain in first place with a home battle against second place Ironton on Friday.

“That was a great team win,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise. “Jordan played well in the first half and then Caleb came alive in the second half. And it was special for him to get 1,000 career points and win a big game.”

Caleb Lovely — who reached the 1,000 career point milestone in the second quarter — had 21 points to lead the Pointers’ offense. Jordan Ermalovch had 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Isaac Clary had a game-high 22 points for Gallipolis. Jance Lambert added 10 points.

Gallipolis (12-6, 6-5) took a 13-8 first quarter lead as Clary scored 8 points with Carson Wamsley hitting a 3-pointer.

Ermalovich hit a pair of 3-pointers and Lovely had a basket for the Pointers’ total.

The Pointers (14-3, 10-1) cut the deficit a point by outscoring the Blue Devils 18-17 in the second quarter to trail 30-26 at the half.

Ermalovich drained a 3-pointer and had 5 points while Josh Childers also hit a trey while Lovely scored 5 points.

Lambert hit a 3-pointer as he scored 5 points and Wamsley had another triple.

The Pointers cut into the Blue Devils lead again in the third quarter as Lovely nailed a trifecta and had 5 points with Xathan Haney hitting a 3-pointer as he scored 4 points and the Pointers trailed just 38-37.

Clary had 5 points and Lambert a basket to account for Gallipolis points.

South Point rallied to take the lead in the fourth quarter to grab the lead for good.

Lovely heated up in the quarter as he made three bombs from behind the arc while Smith and Haney had 3 points each.

Clary had 5 points while Lambert and Wamsley each hit 3-pointers.

South Point    8 18 11 17 = 54

Gallipolis 13 17 8 14 = 52

SOUTH POINT (14-3, 10-1): Caleb Lovely 4 4 1-1 21, Carter Smith 2 02-3 6, Elijah Wilburn 0 0 0-0 0, Xathan Haney 1 1 2-4 7, Josh Childers 0 1 0-0 3, Jaxon Vance 0 0 0-0 0, Jordan Ermalovich 1 3 0-0 11, Xander Dornon 2 0 0-0 4, Jackson Childers 0 0 2-2 2. Totals: 19-43 7-10 54. 3-pt goals: 9-22. Rebounds: 25 (Smith 6, Ermalovich 5). Assists: 9 (Ermalovich 4, Lovely 2). Steals: 2 (Smith, Wilburn). Turnovers: 5. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

GALLIPOLIS (12-5, 6-4): Jance Lambert 2 2 0-1 10, Wesley Saunders 1 0 1-2 3, Carson Wamsley 0 3 0-0 9, Brody Fellure 3 0 0-0 6, Blake Caldwell 1 0 0-0 2, Isaac Clary 9 0 4-7 22. Totals 16 5 5-9 52. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.