Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURANCE — So that’s what’s been missing.
The up and down trials of the Green Bobcats the past few weeks could have been due to the injury to Tanner Kimbler.
The downs were gone and the ups as well Kimbler were back on Friday as the Bobcats beat the Symmes Valley Vikings 90-46 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
Kimbler had 22 points in the first half and finished with 28 to lead the win. Tayte Carver had 20 points and a strong defensive effort while Gage Sampson dominated inside with 21 points and 19 rebounds.
“We got our hands on a lot of passes defensively and it lead to transition buckets,” said Green coach Dirk Hollar. “We shared it well tonight looking for each other. Overall, it was a good start to January.”
While Kimbler was back for Green, the Vikings were missing their inside duo of brothers Jack and Luke Leith.
“Without the Leith brothers, we were able to control the boards and keep them out of the paint,” said Hollar
The Vikings (2-9, 2-3) were led by Drew Scherer and Alec Carpenter with 13 points each. Toby Smathers added eight points.
Green grabbed a 22-14 first quarter lead as Sampson scored 11 points, Zach Huffman had four points and Caden Blizzard drilled a 3-pointer.
Scherer and Smathers had four points each for the Vikings.
The Bobcats erupted for 32 points in the second quarter to opened up a 54-33 lead at the half.
Kimbler got red-hot as he hit three trifectas and scored 20 points. Carver added six points and Ethan Huffman scored all four of his points.
Carpenter hit a pair of 3-pointers and had eight points while Scherer made a trey and scored seven points to help keep the Vikings close.
Sampson scored eight points, Kimbler knocked down two more 3-pointers and Carver had six points as Green outscored the Vikings 20-6 in the quarter to build an insurmountable 74-39 lead.
Carver and Mason Henlsey scored six points each in the fourth quarter for the Bobcats as they outscored Symmes Valley 20-7.
Carpenter hit a 3-pointer while Logan Brace and Josh Ferguson had baskets to account for the Vikings’ offense.
On Tuesday, Symmes Valley goes to Eastern and Green visits Portsmouth Notre Dame.
Sym. Valley 14 19 6 7 = 46
Green 22 32 20 16 = 90
SYMMES VALLEY (2-9, 2-3): Logan Justice 0 0 0-0 0, Caden Brammer 2 0 0-0 4, Drew Scherer 5 1 0-1 13, Alec Carpenter 2 3 0-0 13, Logan Brace 1 0 0-0 2, Josh Ferguson 3 00-0 6, Brady Shepherd 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Patterson 0 0 0-0 0, Trent Turner 0 0 0-0 0, Toby Smathers 4 0 0-2 8. Totals: 19 4 0-3 46. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (NA): Tanner Kimbler 5 5 3-4 28, Tayte Carver 9 0 2-4 20, Gage Sampson 9 3-4 21, Zach Huffman 3 0 0-0 6, Caden Blizzard 0 1 0-2 3, Ethan Huffman 2 0 0-0 4, Trey Otworth 1 0 0- 2, Mason Barber 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Hensley 3 00-0 6, Levi Singleton 0 0 0-0 0, Caden Brammer 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 32 6 8-14 90. Fouls: 5. Fouled out: None.