By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The Green Lady Bobcats always seem to start slow, but they sure put the pedal to the metal in those final laps.

Leading by just 5 points after the first quarter, Green outscored Portsmouth Clay 44-21 the rest of the game to beat the Lady Panthers 56-28 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Monday.

Abbie Knapp had 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead Green while Matti Hayslip had a big shooting night by making six 3-pointers and scoring 18 points.

Hayslip also had 4 assists while Knapp had 3 assists.

Knapp scored 9 points including 5 of 6 at the foul line and Hayslip hit a 3-pointer as Green took a 12-7 first quarter lead.

Ava Demorest scored 5 points for Clay (9-8, 1-2).

The Lady Bobcats (13-1, 3-0) outscored Clay 8-0 in the second quarter to lead 20-7 at the half. Knapp had 5 points and Hayslip drained another 3-pointer.

The lead grew to 41-18 in the third quarter as Hayslip got the hot hand and made four 3-pointers while Ava Abrams hit a 3-pointer and scored all 7 of her points.

Sophia Craft scored 6 points for Clay including 4 of 4 from the line.

In the fourth quarter, Knapp had 8 more points while Elizabeth McBee was 3 of 4 at the foul line and scored 5 points.

Craft had 4 points and Demorest hit a 3-pointer.

Green    12 8 21 15 = 56

Ports. Clay 7 0 11 10 = 28

GREEN (13-1, 3-0): Addison Blizzard 0 0 0-0 0, Myles Hunt 0 0 0-0 0, Miranda Hunt 0 0 0-0 0, Elizabeth McBee 2 0 3-4 7, Bailei Antonera 0 0 0-0 0, Mylee Brown 1 0 0-0 2, Olivia Blevins 0 0 0-0 0, Ava Abrams 2 1 0-0 7, Matti Hayslip 0 6 0-0 18, Abbie Knapp 7 0 8-10 22. Totals: 12 7 11-14 56. 3-pt goals: 7-24. Rebounds: 24 (Knapp 15). Assists: 10 (Hayslip 4, Knapp 3, Brown 2, McBee 1). Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (9-8, 1-2): Alaina Blackburn 0 0 0-0 0, Ava Demorest 2 2 0-0 10, Madi Hobbs 0 0 0-0 0, Emma Emnett 3 0 2-4 8, Tyana Sudderth 0 0 0-0 0, Mia Lunsford 0 0 0-0 0, Caroline Ridenour 0 0 0-0 0, Sophia Craft 2 0 6-6 10, Maddie Penix 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7 2 8-10 28. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.