CENTENARY, Ohio — Close, but no proverbial cigar.

The Gallia Academy boys basketball team had its three-game winning streak come to an end Friday night following a tightly-contested 59-54 setback to visiting Portsmouth in a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League matchup in Gallia County.

The host Blue Devils (4-6, 1-3 SEOAL) stayed within a possession of the Trojans (4-7, 2-2) through each of the four periods of play, but PHS won three of the four quarters scoring-wise and gradually added to an early first quarter lead.

PHS claimed a small 12-10 edge after eight minutes of play, then both squads posted 19 points apiece in the second canto to enter intermission with a 31-29 contest.

Portsmouth used a small 15-13 third quarter spurt to extend its lead to 46-42 headed into the finale, then closed regulation with a 13-12 run to hold on for the five-point triumph.

The Blue Devils had a balanced scoring attack, with Justin Bailey leading the way with 16 points. Reid Eastman was next with 11 points, while Jimmy Clagg chipped in nine markers. Wes Jarrell and Cody Call also respectively added seven and six points in the loss.

Wade Jarrell and Alex White each contributed two points for the hosts, while Seth Atkins rounded out the scoring with one point. GAHS was 15-of-23 at the free throw line for 65 percent.

Sky Oliver paced the Trojans with a game-high 20 points, followed by Jayllen Carter with 15 markers. PHS was 6-of-13 at the charity stripe for 46 percent.

Sports writer Cody Leist of the Portsmouth Daily-Times contributed to this report.