Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Forget how you start doesn’t matter. You’ll never convince the Symmes Valley Vikings.
New Boston jumped out to a big first half lead and held off a late charge by the Vikings as they posted a 64-51 Southern Ohio Conference win on Friday.
Tanner Voiers scored 27 points to lead New Boston (2-0, 1-0). Malachi Potts added 10 points while Kyle Sexton and Chase Clark had 9 each.
Luke Leith got 13 points and 13 rebounds while Jack Leith had 11 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and 3 assists to the Vikings (1-1, 0-1). Josh Ferguson had 7 rebounds,
Voiers had a 3-pointer and scored 13 points in the first quarter as the Tigers raced to a 22-8 lead.
Caden Brammer and Luke Leith combined for all of the Vikings’ points.
Jack Leith and Logan Walsh had 5 points in the second quarter as the Vikings’ offense started to ignite, but New Boston continued to roll as Potts hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points while Voiers and Sexton each knocked down a trey and it was 42-24 at the half.
Both teams struggled offensively coming out of the locker rooms to begin the second half.
Voiers hit three more triples and had 10 points while the Vikings could only manage 7 points and it was 54-31.
Symmes Valley (1-1, 0-1) finally came to life in the fourth quarter and outscored New Boston 20-10.
Luke Leith scored 9 points and Drew Scherer drained a triple, but Sexton had 6 points and the Tigers were 6-of-9 from the foul line.
The Vikings host Western next Friday.
New Boston 22 20 12 10 = 64
Sym. Valley 8 16 7 20 = 51
NEW BOSTON (2-0, 1-0): Malachi Potts 3 1 1-2 10, Tanner Voiers 5 5 2-4 27, Kyle Sexton 2 1 2-3 9, Devon Jones 2 0 0-0 4, Marcus Saunders 0 0 0-0 0, Jerome McKinley 1 0 3-3 5, Chase Clark 2 1 2-2 9. Totals: 15 8 10-14 64. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
SYMMES VALLEY (1-1, 0-1): Caden Brammer 4-7 0-3 4, Luke Leith 6-11 1-1 13, Josh Ferguson 1-6 0-0 2, Jack Leith 5-16 1-5 11, Logan Walsh 2-3 4-4 10, Drew Scherer 3-9 0-0 7, Logan Justice 0-1 0-0 0, Tobey Smathers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-53 6-13 51. 3-pt goals: 3-11 (Brammer 0-2, Ferguson 0-2, Walsh 2-3, Scherer 1-4). Rebounds: 20-O, 19-D = 39 (L. Leith 13, J. Leith 13, Ferguson 7). Assists: 8 (J. Leith 3, Brammer 2). Steals: 6 (L. Leith 2). Blocks: 5 (J. Leith 4, Brammer 1). Turnovers: 19. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.