By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — When it comes to ugly, it still counts as a win.

The South Point Pointers weren’t at the top of their game but still managed to escape the pesky Coal Grove Hornets 58-50 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.

“It was an ugly win but it’s still a win,” said Pointers’ coach Travis Wise. “We struggled shooting all night. Hanshaw and Wilburn played well. We haven’t played since last Saturday, so I think the long layoff had a lot to do with why we struggled to shoot the ball.”

The Pointers (9-4, 6-1) were just 23-of-57 from the field for 40 percent including 6-of-20 from beyond the arc for 30 percent as they took sole possession of first place in the OVC.

Carter Smith scored 15 points while Caleb Lovely and Xathan Haney had 12 each. Brayden Hanshaw got 8 points but pulled down 15 rebounds. Lovely had 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.

The Hornets (3-10, 1-6) Owen Johnson had a huge game with 38 points.

The Pointers took a 13-12 first quarter lead as Haney had 5 points and he and Smith hit 3-pointers.

Johnson had 10 of the Hornets 12 points.

Lovely scored 3 points and Haney hit another 3-pointer and South Point held onto its scant one-point lead at the half, 24-23.

Johnson scored 4 points and Gavin Gipson drilled a 3-pointer for the Hornets.

Lovely and Smith each hit 3-pointers and scored 5 points in the third quarter and Wilburn also had 5 points and Hanshaw 4 as South Point was able to extend its lead to 45-37.

Johnson had 8 of the Hornets 14 points.

The Pointers led 57-47 when Gipson hit a 10-foot jumper. The Pointers turned the ball over on the inbounds play and Johnson drilled a 3-pointer as part of his 11-point guard and the Hornets trailed 57-50 with 14 second left.

But Smith was fouled and hit the first of 2 free throws and it was 58-50 with 12 seconds left.

Coal Grove managed to get off a couple of errant shots and Smith grabbed the rebound as time ran out.

Smith and Wilburn scored 5 points each in the fourth quarter for the Pointers.

South Point 13 11 21 13 = 58

Coal Grove 12 11 14 13 = 50

SOUTH POINT (9-4, 6-1): Caleb Lovely 2 2 2-3 12, Carter Smith 3 2 3-4 15, Elijah Wilburn 4 0 1-3 9, Davon Lewis 0 0 0-0 0, Xathan Haney 3 2 0-0 12, Josh Childers 1 0 0-0 2, Ethan Layne 0 0 0-0 0, B Brayden Hanshaw 4 0 0-0 8, Jaylen Anderson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-57 6-10 . 3-pt goals: 6-20. Rebunds: 32 (Hanshaw 15, Lovely 5, Smith 5). Assists: 13 (Lovely 6, Smith 3). Steals: 6, (Lovely 2).  Turnovers: 8. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

COAL GROVE (3-10, 1-6): Rylan Smith 1 0 2-2 4, Bradley Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Abrams 0 0 0-0 0, Kody Harmon 1 0 0-0 2, Owen Johnson 10 1 10-10 38, Gavin Gipson 2 1 0-0 7, Braydon Young 0 0 0-0 0, Sam Large 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 15 2 12-12 50. Fouls: ł. Fouled out: None.