Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

NEW BOSTON — That No. 1 ranking didn’t seem to impress the Symmes Valley Vikings.
The Vikings had to go to New Boston on Tuesday to play the Tigers who were ranked No. 1 in the latest Associated Press Division 4 basketball poll.
The Vikings were down just 5 points heading into the fourth quarter when New Boston turned to the scoring tandem of Kyle Sexton and Tanner Voiers who helped them outscore Symmes Valley 19-10 as they posted a 69-55 Southern Ohio Conference win.
Symmes Valley (8-4, 5-2) needed a win to tie New Boston (14-0, 7-0) for the league lead.
Jack Leith had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Luke Leith got 10 points and 16 rebounds with Logan Walsh scoring 12 points in the loss.
Sexton had 21 points and 11 rebounds while Voiers got 19 points and 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Sexton had 9 points and Voiers 6 as New Boston jumped in front 23-10 in the first quarter.
But Walsh hit a 3-pointer and was 2-of-3 at the line, Luke Leith had 5 points and Drew Scherer was 4-of-4 at the line as the Vikings made 10-of -13 foul shots in the quarter and cut the deficit to 37-30 at the half.
Voiers hit a pair of 3-pointers to keep the Tigers in front.
Jack Leith and Walsh combined for 11 points in the third quarter as the Vikings narrowed the gap to 50-45.
But in the fourth quarter, Voiers hit two more 3-pointers and scored 7 points while Sexton was 6-of-6 at the line to offset 5 points by Jack Leith and preserve the win.
New Boston was 9-of-11 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and 15-of-18 for the game. Symmes Valley converted 21-of-28 free throw attempts.
The Vikings shot just 16-of-57 from the field for 28 percent and were only 2-of-14 from the 3-pointer arc for 14 percent.
On Friday, the Vikings visit Western.
Sym. Valley 10 20 15 10 = 55
New Boston 23 14 13 19 = 69
SYMMES VALLEY (8-4, 5-2): Caden Brammer 2 0 1-1 5, Luke Leith 4 0 2-4 10, Brady Shepherd 0 0 2-2 2, Josh Ferguson 0-0 0-0 0, Jack Leith 6 0 6-10 18, Logan Walsh 1 2 4-5 12, Drew Scherer 1 0 6-6 8. Totals: 16-57 21-28 55. 3-pt goals: 2-14. Rebounds: 21-O, 20-D = 41 (L. Leith 16, J. Leith 12). Assists: 7 (J. Leith 4). Steals: 7 (L. Leith 2). Turnovers: 20. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Scherer.
NEW BOSTON (14-0, 7-0): Malachi Potts 1 0 1-2 3, Grady Jackson 2 0 3-3 7, Tanner Voiers 3 4 1-2 19, Kyle Sexton 4 2 7-7 21, Devon Jones 1 0 2-2 4, Marcus Saunders 1 1 0-0 5, Jerome McKinley 2 0 1-2 5, Chase Clark 1 1 0-0 5. Totals: 15 8 15-18 69. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: None.