COAL GROVE - Not even Houdini could have made the Coal Grove Hornets offense disappear any better than it did Tuesday night.

After jumping to a lead in the first quarter, the Hornets struggled to score the next two quarters and lost 54-42 to

the Ohio Valley Christian Defenders.

"OVC deserved to win. They had good balance on offense," Hornets coach Darrell Humphreys said.

"We just didn't play very well, and OVC had something to do with that. No one stepped up for us. We had chances to score and didn't do it."

The Defenders (6-5) had four players in double figures, led by Nathan Bowman with 18. Conrad Buffington scored 14 while J.T. Lindman and Brody Blankenship had 10 each.

Tommy Pemberton scored 12 points and Brandon Rymer 11 to pace the Hornets, 4-7. Pemberton also had six rebounds.

Shane Bridges and Randy Wise scored four points each in the first quarter as Coal Grove jumped in front 15-9.

But the offense began two disappear in the second quarter.

Buffington and Bowman combined for eight points as Ohio Valley pulled to within 23-22 at the break.

Coal Grove scored just five points in the third quarter while Bowman got hot with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and the Defenders took a 39-28 lead.

Pemberton had eight of his points in the fourth quarter, but Buffington got seven points as the Defenders held on for the win.

Coal Grove plays at Fairland Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Ohio Valley9131715-54

Coal Grove158514-42

OHIO VALLEY CHRISTIAN (6-5): Brody Blankenship 1 1 5-8 10, Andrew Holcomb 1 0 0-0 2, Conrad Buffington 6 0 2-5 14, John Hussle 1 0 0-2 2, Nathan Bowman 5 2 2-2 18, J.T. Lindman 4 0 2-2 10. Totals: 17

3

11-19

54. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 8-20=28. Turnovers: 13.

COAL GROVE (4-7):

Shane Bridges 2 0 0-0 4, Brandon Rymer 4 1 0-0 11, Evan Melvin 1 0 0-0 2, Randy Wise 2 0 2-2 6, Tyler Sexton 0 0 1-3 1, Tommy Pemberton 5 0 2-6 12, Jimmy Lemon 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 17

1

5-11

42. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Rymer. Rebounds: 5-17=22 (Pemberton 6). Turnovers: 17.