Story--Gallipolis tops Rock Hill in first game in new gym
Gallipolis downed visiting Rock Hill 50-34 in the first game ever played in the new Gallia Academy gym Saturday evening to open its 2009-10 basketball campaign on a winning note.
The Blue Devils fell behind 3-0 on a trey by Rock Hill’s Trey Wilds with 7:35 left in the initial period. It was the first basket scored in the new gym in Centenary. Gallipolis’ first bucket was a three-pointer by John Troester with 7:07 left in the first quarter. After Gallia’s Jared Golden tipped in a rebound at the 6:13 mark for a 5-3 lead, Wilds hit another three-pointer with 5:50 to go and Will McCollister”s tap-in (3:49) gave the visitors their biggest lead of the game, 8-5.
Gallia’s Ethan Moore tied it up with a trey at the 3:22 mark and Nick Mitchell’s short jumper (2:51) put the Blue Devils ahead to stay. Gallipolis led 18-10 after one period.
GAHS outscored Rock Hill 10-4 in the second period for a 28-14 halftime advantage. The Gallians outscored RHHS 17-6 in the third period to take a 45-20 advantage in the final quarter. Coach Jim Osborne played 13 of 15 Blue Devils dressed in the triumph. Two injured Blue Devils were dressed, but did not play.
Senior guard Nick Mitchell came off the bench to pace GAHS scorers with 15 points. Junior guard/forward Ethan Moore and senior center John Troester added nine points apiece for the Gallians while Corey Eberfeld, Nate Allison and Jared Golden tossed in four points apiece. Jordan Cornwell had three points and Chuck Calvert and Cody Billings each added one point.
Will McCollister, son of former GAHS assistant grid Coach Bob McCollister, a sophomore, and junior Devin Darby led the Redmen with 12 points apiece. Big 6-9 senior center Sam Cooke was held to two points by GAHS defenders.
The Redmen sank 12 of 40 field goal attempts for 33.3 percent. The Redmen were a cool eight of 20 at the foul line for 25 percent. Rock Hill had 19 personal fouls, 23 costly turnovers, eight in the second period and seven in the third, and picked off 32 rebounds, nine in the final period against the Gallians second unit. Cooke led the Redmen with eight rebounds.
Gallipolis sank 18 of 56 field goal attempts for 31.1 percent. GAHS was six of 20 behind the arc for 33.3 percent and 12 of 36 from two-point range for 30 percent. Gallipolis was also off at the foul line, sinking eight of 23 for 28.7 percent. The Blue Devils had also had 19 personal fouls 40 rebounds, including 11 team rebounds, six by Chuck Calvert and five each by Billings and Troester. GAHS had seven turnovers.
GAHS was credited with nine assists, four by Moore,12 steals, four by Moore, and totaled 26 deflections. Troester had a blocked shot and Eberhard took a charge.
GAHS will play two games next week, both triple-headers. Tuesday, the Devils will host to River Valley beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday, GAHS will travel to Athens. Both are non-league games.
In Saturday’s reserve game, Gallipolis defeated the Rock Hill JVs, 32-14. It was the season opener for both teams.
Gallipolis led 12-5, 22-5 and 28-12 at the quartermarks.
Joel Johnston and Drew Young paced the Blue Imps with 12 points each. Ben Rocinson and Nick Saunders chipped in with four points each. Andy Schwab paced the Little Redmen with seven points.
GAHS-Rock Hill box score:
ROCK HILL (34) – Jon Schwab, 0-0-0-0; Jeremy Blagg, 0-0-0-0; Will McCollister, 4-1-2-9; Shane Russell, 1-0-0-2; Ryan Albright, 0-0-1-0; Devin Darby, 3-3-8-9; Trey Wilds, 0-(2)-0-0-6; Mitchell Patterson, 1-0-0-2; Chris LeMaster, 0-3-4-3; Andy Knipp, 0-1-2-1; Sam Cook, 1-0-3-2. TOTALS 10-(2)-8-20-34.
GALLIPOLIS (50) – Corey Elberfeld, 2-0-1-4; Jordan Cornwell, 0-(1)-0-0-3; Ben Robinson, 0-0-2-0; Ethan Moore, 0-(2)-3-4-9; Nate Allison, 2-0-0-4; Nick Mitchell, 5-(1)-2-2 15; Chuck Calvart, 0-1-3-1; Tyler Eastman, 0-0-2-0; Jared Golden, 2-0-6-4; Cody Billings, 0-1-2-1; John Troester, 1-(2)-1-1-9; Joe Jenkins, 0-0-0-0; Nate Gordon, 0-0-0-0. TOTALS 12-(6)-8-23-50.
Score by quarters:
Rock Hill………10 4 6 14 – 34
Gallipolis………18 10 17 5 – 50
Reserve score—Gallipolis 32 Rock Hill 14.
Next GAHS game—River Valley, at home, triple-header, 5 p.m.