By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets didn’t want an equal playing field anymore.

The Hornets and Rock Hill Redmen proved to be equals in the first half, but Coal Grove changed all that with a big third quarter en route to a 50-45 Ohio Valley Conference win on Tuesday.

The game was tied at 8-all in the first quarters as Isaak Cox had 4 points and Blake Porter hit a 3-pointer for the Redmen while Owen Johnson scored 6 of Coal Grove’s points.

Both teams scored 8 more points in the second quarter and it was 16-16 at the half.

Four different players scored for the Hornets and for the Redmen.

The decisive third quarter saw the Hornets outscore the Redmen 22-10 and take a 38-26 lead.

Rylan Smith drained a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points and Johnson scored 9 points to pace the Hornets.

Braxton Harper went 6-of-6 at the foul line for Rock Hill.

Rock Hill tried to rally in the fourth quarter as Dylan Griffith, Levi Jenkins and Porter all hit 3-pointers and both Kelen Davidson and Porter were 2-for-2 at the foul line.

But Johnson had 6 points including 2-of-3 at the foul line while Karson Frecka hit a couple of clutch free throws.

Johnson scored 24 points and Smith had 14 points to pace the Hornets (2-9, 1-4).

Rock Hill (3-9, 0-5) got 13 points from Porter while Cox and Harper scored 10 each.

Rock Hill  8 8 10 19 = 45

Coal Grove 8 8 22 12 = 50

ROCK HILL (3-9, 0-5): Dylan Griffith 1 1 0-0 5, Braxton Harper 2 0 6-6 10, Levi Jenkins 0 1 0-0 3, Ethan Blag 0 0 0-0 0, Izaak Cox 5 0 0-0 10, Rylan Barker 0 0 0-0 0, Kelen Davidson 1 0 2-2 4, Blake Porter 2 2 3-5 13. Totals: 11 4 11-13 45. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Cox.

COAL GROVE (2-9, 1-4): Noah Holmes 0 0 0-0 0, Rylan Smith 4 2 0-1 14, Brayden Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Bradley Klaiber 1 0 0-0 2, Nick Abrams 0 0 0-0 0, Kody Harmon 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Johnson 9 0 6-9 24, Gavin Gipson 1 0 0-0 2, Karson Frecka 1 0 4-7 6. Totals: 17 2 10-17 50. Fouls: 15 Fouled out: None.