By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

“Clang! Clang! Went The Trolley.”

Um, tell Judy Garland that wasn’t the trolley. That was the St. Joseph Flyers shooting Friday night.

The Flyers drew iron but not much net in a 42-32 loss to the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

The Flyers suffered their worst shooting night of the season and yet still had a chance against the Titans.

Flyers’ coach Jason Wells said it was frustrating once again.

“Another first quarter killed us. It’s like the old saying ‘if we were in a boat we couldn’t throw it in the ocean’ is getting old,” said Wells.

“Our guys just have to keep shooting. I’m proud of our effort tonight.”

Notre Dame (13-6, 9-2) scored just 9 points in the first quarter but that was plenty because the Flyers failed to score.

The offense looked like it was coming to life in the second quarter as Erikai Jackson hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points, Drew Brown had 4 points and Landon Rowe nailed a 3-pointer for the Flyers to trail 22-14 at the half.

Cody Metzler hit a 3-pointer and scored 8 points for the Titans.

Metzler hit another 3-pointer and Dominic Sparks scored 3 points as the Titans outscored the Flyers 10-4 in the third quarter to extend the lead to 32-18.

Another trifecta by Rowe and a free throw by Wesley Neal accounted for all the Flyers points.

St. Joseph (8-9, 5-7) cut into the deficit in the fourth quarter but the difference was too much to overcome.

Neal buried a 3-pointer and scored 7 points, Jackson got a pair of baskets and Brown also hit from behind the arc.

Metzler hit his third 3-pointer and went 3-of-4 at the line while Myles Phillips also hit a trey for the Titans to secure the win.

Neal led the Flyers with 10 points and Jackson scored 9.

Metzler had a game-high 19 points for the Titans with Phillips scoring 10.

Notre Dame   9 13 10 10 = 42

St. Joseph 0 14 4 14 = 32

PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (13-6, 9-2): Landon Barvarits 1 0 1-2 3, Aarin Bradford 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Metzler 3 3 4-6 19, Carter Campbell 1 0 0-0 2, Myles Phillips 2 2 0-1 10, Dominic Sparks 3 0 2-4 8. Totals: 10 5 7-13 42. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.

ST. JOSEPH (8-9, 5-7): Aiden DeBorde 0 0 0-0 0, Erikai Jackson 3 1 0-0 9, Evan Balestra 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Brown 2 1 0-0 7, Wesley Neal 3 1 1-3 10, Landon Rowe 0 2 0-0 6, Kai Coleman 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 5 1-4 32. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.