Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHEROKEE, N.C. — Three games in three days against three good teams left the Coal Grove Hornets second.
The Hornets played well as they finished runners-up in the Cherokee Holiday on the Hardwood Christmas Classic following a 56-48 loss to the Keenan (S.C.) Raiders late Friday night.
“We had a good trip and played some pretty good basketball against some pretty good teams,” said Hornets’ coach Kevin Vanderhoof.
Jeb Jones scored 12 points and Cory Borders had 11 points — all in the second half — to lead the Hornets (5-2).
Raekwon Horton scored 16 and Terrian Tyler 11 to lead Keenan (9-3).
The Raiders were up 18-10 at the end of the first quarter. Jordan Case had all four of his points in the quarter and Jones was 3-of-4 from the line.
Nate Harmon and Jones had three points each in the second quarter and the Hornets were down 29-19 at the half.
Borders hit a 3-pointer and scored five points and Payton Smith came off the bench to hit a triple and the Hornets trailed 40-29 at the end of the third quarter.
Borders drained a pair of trifectas and Jones scored four points as the Hornets got within 44-43 at one point in the fourth quarter.
But they fell behind by 10 points and were forced to foul. Keenan converted 6-of-11 from the foul line to seal the outcome.
“We came out and trapped them in the fourth quarter and got back in the game, but we couldn’t get over the hump. We worked so hard to get back in the game we just spent all our energy,” said Vanderhoof.
Coal Grove visits Gallipolis on Friday.
Coal Grove    10    9    10    19    =    48
Dawson Co.    18    11    11    16    =    56
COAL GROVE (5-2): Aaron Music 2 1 1-2 8, Cory Borders 1 3 0-0 11, Jordan Case 2 0 0-0 4, Jeb Jones 3 0 6-8 12, Nate Harmon 1 0 1-2 3, Payton Smith 0 1 0-0 3, Sam Angelo 2 0 1-2 5, Alijah Roman 1 0 0-1 2. Totals: 12 5 9-15 48. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.
KEENAN (9-3): Dillon Jones 3 1 0-0 9, O’dardruis Sanders 1 0 3-5 5, Terrian Tyler 5 0 1-2 11, Latrell Taylor 4 0 1-2 9, Raekwon Horton 4 2 2-2 16, Ervin Stone 1 0 2-6 4, Ronald Rich 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 19 3 9-17 56. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.