By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ONA, W.Va. — Evidently, how you start can be better than how you finish.

The Cabell Midland Knights built a 12-point first quarter lead and made it stand up as they beat the South Point Pointers 69-56 on Tuesday.

“We started off really bad again and dug ourselves a hole. We really struggled to guard and rebound,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise.

“We cut it several times to single digits but couldn’t get over the top. I hate to say it but it might be good for us. We have to buckle down the next three days and get ready for Portsmouth. It’s tournament time.”

Dominic Schmidt hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points while Isaac Petitt had 6 points.

Carter Smith scored 8 points and Caleb Lovely had 4 points for South Point in the quarter.

Each team scored 13 points in the second quarter that gave Midland a 39-27 lead at the half.

Lovely drilled a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points while Jordan Ermalovich also hit a trey for the Pointers.

Schmidt got 6 points and Jack Eastone hit a 3-pointer for the Knights (12-9).

The Pointers cut the deficit to 53-42 at the end of the third quarter.

Xathan Haney scored 5 points including 3-of-4 at the line while Lovely and Smith each added 4 points.

Petitt hit a trey and scored 9 points for the Knights.

Midland outscored the Pointers 16-14 in the fourth quarter as Petitt scored 5 points and Aiden Cottrell had 4 more.

Ermalovich nailed another triple and scored 8p points with Lovely scoring 6 points.

Lovely scored a game-high 26 points for South Point to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Emalovich had 11 points and 4 assists.

Petitt and Schmidt scored 17 points each and Eastone added 11.

South Point      14 13 15 14 = 56

Cabell Midland 26 13 14 16 = 69

SOUTH POINT (18-4): Caleb Lovely 8 2 2-6 26, Carter Smith 50 2-3 12, Elijah Wilburn 0 0 0-0 0, Javon Ferrell 0 0 0-0 0, Xathan Haney 1 0 3-4 5, Josh Childers 1 0 0-0 2, Jordan Ermalovich 2 2 1-1 11, Xander Dornon 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 22-51 8-14 56. 3-pt goals: 4-17. Rebounds: 24 (Smith 8, Lovely 6, Dornon 4). Assists: 6 (Emalovich 4, Lovely 2). Steals: 4 (Smith 2). Turnovers: 8. Fouls:xx. Fouled out: xx.

CABELL MIDLAND (12-9): Jack Eastone 0 2 5-6 11, Luke Marshall 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Petitt 8 0 1-2 17, Carson Thompson 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Marshall 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Hatfield 2 1 0-0 7, Dominic Schmidt 5 2 1-2 17, Aiden Cottrell 5 0 4-4 14, Thomas Gibson 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Bohm 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Blackburn 0 0 0-0 0, Samuel Phillips 0 0 0-0 0, Aiden Ray 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Parlier 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 5 11-12 69.