CLENDENIN, W.Va. — After starting the year with an unblemished 5-0 mark, the Point Pleasant boys basketball team has now dropped three of its last four decisions following a 48-41 setback to host Herbert Hoover in a Cardinal Conference matchup in Mason County.

The visiting Big Blacks (6-3, 3-3 Cardinal) strolled out to a small 13-12 edge after eight minutes of play, but the Huskies (7-2, 2-2) countered with an opportunistic 26-20 run over the next periods to take a 38-33 lead into the finale.

That small surge was big for the hosts, as Point’s leading scorer — Wade Martin — was saddled with foul trouble through the middle frames, causing the 6-foot-4 guard to go scoreless during that span. Martin scored seven points in the opening stanza and finished the night with a team-best 11 points.

Herbert Hoover, which led 27-24 at the intermission, closed regulation with a small 10-8 spurt — allowing the hosts to pick up their seventh straight triumph. HHHS is currently ranked ninth in the Class AA poll, one spot ahead of the No. 10 Big Blacks.

Jacob Wamsley followed Martin with 11 points, while Jacob Wamsley added a double-double effort of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Dillon McCarty and Anthony Perry respectively chipped in eight and seven points, while Andrew Williamson and Alex Somerville rounded things out with three and two markers.

PPHS shot just 31 percent from the field, but went a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line in the setback. Point also claimed a small 32-30 edge in rebounding.

Charlton Gandee paced the hosts with a game-high 17 points, followed by Matthew Bowden with 10 points and Cody Morris with eight markers. The Huskies were 13-of-16 at the charity stripe for 81 percent.

Point Pleasant returns to action Friday when it hosts Scott in a Cardinal Conference matchup at 6 p.m.

Herbert Hoover 48, Point Pleasant 41

PP 13-11-9-8 — 41

HH 12-15-11-10 — 48

POINT PLEASANT (6-3, 3-3 Cardinal): Dillon McCarty 4 0-0 8, Jacob Wamsley 4 2-2 10, Marquez Griffin 0 0-0 0, Andrew Williamson 1 0-0 3, Anthony Perry 3 0-0 7, Aden Yates 0 0-0 0, Wade Martin 3 4-4 11, Alex Somerville 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 16 6-6 41. Three-point goals: 3 (Williamson, Perry, Martin).

HERBERT HOOVER (7-2, 2-2 Cardinal): Charlton Gandee 4 9-10 17, Clayton Edens 0 2-2 2, Sam Schoolcraft 0 0-0 0, Carter Coleman 3 0-0 7, Joey Forbes 2 0-0 4, Matthew Bowden 4 2-4 10, Cody Morris 4 0-0 8. TOTALS: 17 13-16 48. Three-point goals: 1 (Coleman).