Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets are going to have to take a page from baseball and find themselves a closer.
The Hornets were battling the favored New Boston Tigers into the fourth quarter with a chance to win, but they could not close the deal and fell 62-54 in the season opener.
Tait Matney and Malachi Wheeler scored 15 points each to lead the Hornets.
Kyle Sexton scored 19 points including 9-of-14 at the line, Devon Jones had 16 points and Grady Jackson 14 to lead New Boston.
New Boston took a scant 12-10 first quarter lead. Wheeler hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points to keep the Hornets close.
New Boston stepped up the scoring in the second quarter and opened up a 33-22 halftime lead as Sexton scored 12 points including 6-of-7 at the foul line.
Chase Clark hit a triple and scored 5 more for the Tigers.
But Coal Grove came back in the third quarter and outscored New Boston 21-11.
New Boston was up 42-36 late in the third quarter but a foul shot by Wheeler and a layup by Matney got the Hornets within 44-43 just before the end of the quarter.
Perry Kingery had 6 of his 10 points in the quarter while Wheeler scored 6 and Matney had a pair of baskets.
Matney hit a 3-pointer and a pair of foul shots in the fourth quarter, but the Hornets went cold overall and scored just 11 points.
Coal Grove was forced to foul late in fourth quarter and New Boston responded by converting 12-of-18 free throw attempts.
New Boston 12 21 11 19 = 62
Coal Grove 10 12 21 11 = 54
NEW BOSTON (1-0): Devon Jones 5 1 3-5 16, Grady Jackson 4 1 3-7 14, Kage Truitt 1 0 0-1 2, Kyle Sexton 5 0 9-14 19, Luke Henson 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Bowman 0 0 0-0 0, Josh Alley 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Clark 1 2 0-0 8, Brady Voiers 1 0 3-4 5. Totals: 16 4 18-31 62. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Bowman.
COAL GROVE (0-1): Malachi Wheeler 4 1 4-7 15, Jarren Hicks 2 0 2-3 6, Trevor Hankins 2 0 0-0 4, Tait Matney 4 1 4-4 15, Hunter Staton 0 0 2-2 2, Elijah Dillon 0 0 0-0 0, Braxton Horn 1 0 0-1 2, Perry Kingery 4 0 2-2 10. Totals: 17 2 14-19 54. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Wheeler, Hicks, Matney.