COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Coming into Friday's road game ranked No. 4 in the state in Division II, South (12-0) had a lot riding on a tough matchup against Eastmoor (7-4). With both teams tied for first in the City League South, the visiting Bulldogs controlled the game from the opening tip, grinding out Eastmoor 63-48.

Leading 17-11 after the first quarter, South opened up the floodgates in the following period, holding Eastmoor without a field goal for the last five minutes of the quarter. Leading 33-21 going into the half, South would extend its lead in the opening moments of the third quarter.

Going on a 8-2 run to open the quarter, South led by as much as 18 points at 41-23 with 5:11 to go in the period. Eastmoor would trim the lead to 12 points, but would trail 49-36 at the end of the third.

In the fourth, Eastmoor would blow several chances at the free throw line, never getting any closer than nine points, as South made the plays it needed to late to take control of the City League South. Junior forward Jeremiah Green put the game away with a big And-1 score with 1:17 to go, putting South ahead 60-48.

The Bulldogs would hold on in the final minute, grinding out a 63-48 win.

Balanced scoring would be the key for South, as four players scored in double-figures, led by senior wing Dez Robinson, who finished with 17 points. South got a big boost from its bench, as three reserves combined to score 26 points. Green added 11 points, converting on two big three-point plays in the last minute of the fourth quarter, while freshman wing Marcus Johnson added 10 points. 

Senior forward Lamont Broomfield was tough on the interior all night, despite battling foul trouble, as he finished with 10 points and five rebounds. The Bulldogs' leading scorer in sophomore Treohn Watkins did not have his best night, as Eastmoor used its length and athleticism to bottle him up, as Watkins finished with eight points. 

Despite not scoring, junior guard Naiquan Galloway made a huge impact, finishing with five assists and five steals, helping South establish its transition game early.

For Eastmoor, junior wing guard Taevion Kinsey had his third-straight  game of at least 20 points. Finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds, Kinsey was the only consistent scorer in the Warriors staring lineup, as Eastmoor's only other offensive boost came from junior guard Tripp Hopkins, who finished with 14 points off the bench, all of which in the second half. 

Junior wing Tim Smith added eight points, six rebounds and two blocks, as no other Eastmoor player added more than two points. 

With the win, South improves to 12-0 and 6-0 in league play. The Bulldogs have five of its last eight league games at home, as South is looking to remain undefeated and win its first division title since 1988, when coach Ramon Spears was a senior captain for the Bulldogs. 

Eastmoor will have to rebound quickly, as the Warriors open up play at Flyin' to the Hoop on Saturday in Kettering against talented Springfield.