By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — Head coach Travis Wise had only three words after the South Point Pointers avoided an upset by the Portsmouth Trojans.

“Survive and advance,” said Wise with a heavy sigh of relief.

The Pointers went to overtime before holding on to edge the Trojans 58-56 to win the Division 3 sectional title.

South Point (19-4) will now play Fairland at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday at Jackson in the district semi-finals.

A big key to the Pointers win was Carter Smith who scored 21 points including five 3-pointers.

“Carter Smith stepped it up for us tonight,” said Wise.

Caleb Lovely scored 18 points including three 3-pointers.

Portsmouth (9-14) had three plays in double figures led by Deandre Berry with a game-high 23 points. Devon Lattimore scored 18 points with Kenny Sanderlin netting 12.

Lovely hit a 3-pointer and was 2-of-2 at the foul line, Xander Dornon had a basket and 2 free throws and Jaxon Vance was 1-of-2 at the line as South Point outscored Portsmouth 10-8 in the extra stanza.

Berry scored all 8 points in overtime for Portsmouth including 4-of-5 from the foul line.

Portsmouth (9-14) took an early 19-10 first quarter lead ass Sanderlin hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points.

Smith hit a pair of 3-pointers and had 8 points with Vance going 2-of-2 at the line.

South Point’s offense came to life in the second quarter as the Pointers outscored the Trojans 25-8 to take a 35-27 halftime lead.

Berry and Devon Lattimore had 4 points each for the Trojans’ point total.

The Trojans rallied in the third quarter to outscore the Pointers 12-4 and it was 48-all.

Devon Lattimore scored 8 points and Berry added 4 points in the quarter.

Each team scored 9 points in the fourth quarter.

Jordan Ermalovich hit a trey, Lovely had a basket and 2 free throws and Smith a basket for South Point.

Berry nailed a 3-pointer and a free throw in the fourth quarter with Lattimore going 3-of-4 at the line and Sanderlin getting a bucket.

Portsmouth    19 8 12 9 8 = 56

South Point 10 25 4 9 10 = 58

PORTSMOUTH (9-14): Devon Lattimore 5 0 8-14 18, Donovan Breech 0 1 0-2 3, Tyler Duncan 0 0 0-0 0, Kenny Sanderlin 2 2 2-4 12, Noah Livingston 0 0 0-0 0, Deandre Berry 7 1 6-10 23. Totals: 14 4 16-30 56. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.

SOUTH POINT (19-4): Caleb Lovely 2 3 5-6 18, Carter Smith 3 5 0-0 21, Elijah Wilburn 0 0 0-0 0, Xathan Haney 0 1 2-4 2, Josh Childers 0 0 0-0 0, Jaxon Vance 0 0 3-4 3, Jordan Ermalovich 0 1 0-0 3, Xander Dornon 3 0 2-2 8, Jackson Childers 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-46 12-14 58. 3-pt goals: 10-31. Rebounds: 30 (Dornon 9, Lovely 7). Assists: 13 (Ermalovich 5, Haney 3). Steals: 7 (Lovely 3, Vance 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 19 . Fouled out: Ermalovich.