By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — Playing like a sink faucet doesn’t work very well.

The Coal Grove Hornets’ offense was like a sink faucet with a cold, hot, cold, hot scoring total in a 55-51 Ohio Valley Conference loss to the Gallipolis Blue Devils on Friday.

Gabe Hammons had 6 points and Macen Meadows hit a 3-pointer and had 5 points as Gallipolis went up 16-8 in the first quarter.

Owen Johnson was 4 of 4 from the foul line for the Hornets.

Coal Grove (4-7, 1-6) rallied in the second quarter to tie the game at 27-all.

Rylan Smith knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points, Kody Harmon hit a trey and Cameryn Chaffins and Johnson scored 4 points each for Coal Grove.

Cade Mock hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points and Ty Reed had the other 4 points in the quarter for the Blue Devils (4-9, 1-7).

Gallipolis came out in the third quarter and took a 41-36 lead as five different players scored.

Smith hit three 3-pointers to account for all of Coal Grove’s scoring in the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Blue Devils hung on to win despite making only 4-of-9 free throws.

Johnson scored 8 points including a 3-pointer and Chaffins hit another trifecta but the Hornets could not sustain the comeback.

Smith scored a career-high 19 points for the Hornets and Johnson got 16 points.

The Blue Devils had 3 players in double figures as Mock scored 16, Reeds 14 and Hammons 12.

Coal Grove    8 19 9 15 = 51

Gallipolis 16 11 14 14 = 55

COAL GROVE (4-7, 1-6): NoahHolmes 0 0 0-0 0, Rylan Smith 2 5 0-0 19, Braydon Klaiber 0 0 2-4 2, Bradley Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Peyton Bryant 0 0 0-0 0, Kody Harmon 1 1 0-0 5, Cameron Chaffins 2 1 0-0 7, Jake Brammer 1 0 0-0 2, Owen Johnson 4 1 5-7 16. Totals: 10 8 7-11 51. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

GALLIPOLIS (4-9, 1-7): Josh Watts 0 0 0-0 0, Ty Reed 5 1 1-1 14, Tripp Sola 1 0 0-0 2, Rees Toler 0 0 2-2 2, Gabe Hammons 6 0 0-0 12, Grant owens 0 0 0-0 0, Cade Mock 6 1 1-6 16, Macen Meadows 2 1 2-4 9. Totals: 20 3 6-13 55. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.