Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — It’s an old strategy that is still used on a regular basis in today’s game. When trailing in the fourth quarter by a large amount, foul and force the other team to make free throws in order to win the game.
The Green Bobcats were behind so they fouled the Symmes Valley Vikings trying to force them to make free throws.
The Vikings did.
Sent to the foul line for 26 attempts in the fourth quarter, the Vikings connected on 16 and held off the Bobcats 80-79 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Friday.
Caden Brammer led the Vikings with 21 points including 9 points in the fourth quarter when he hit 7-of-9 free throw attempts. Drew Scherer finished with 18 points as he scored 8 in the final quarter that included 2-of-4 from the line.
Grayson Walsh was 3-of-4, Eli Patterson 2-for-2 and both Josh Ferguson and Luke Leith were 1-of-2 at the line.
Leith had 16 points to go with 15 rebounds for the Vikings (6-8, 5-6) who were 21-of-36 for the game from the foul line.
Green (6-9, 4-6) was led by Ethan Huffman with 25 points and Levi Sampson with 23. Levi Singleton had a big game as he hit six 3-point goals for 18 points.
The Vikings led 20-17 after the first quarter as Brammer hit three 3-pointers and Scherer added another as he scored 5 points. Huffman scored 8 points for Green and Singleton hit a 3-pointer.
Sampson had a trey and scored 6 points while Singleton had his second triple and Green was within 33-32 at the half. Leith scored 5 points and Scherer for in the quarter.
Eli Patterson — who had 12 points for the game along with 6 rebounds — scored 6 points and both Scherer and Brammer had trifectas as the Vikings went up 54-48 in the third quarter.
Huffman and Sampson combined for 13 of Green’s 16 points in the quarter.
Singleton caught fire from long-range with four more 3-pointers, Sampson hit two bombs and scored 7 points while Huffman scored 8 points including 4-of-6 at the line, but the Vikings foul shooting proved too much to overcome.
Green 17 15 16 31 = 79
Sym. Valley 20 13 21 26 = 80
GREEN (6-9, 4-6): Levi Sampson 3 4 5-10 23, Austin Ray 1 0 0-1 2, Ethan Huffman 10 0 5-7 25, Levi Blevins 2 0 1-5 5, Levi Waddell 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Singleton 0 6 0-0 18, Wiley Sanders 2 0 0-0 4, Dawson Damron 0 0 2-2 2, Braydon Chaffin 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 10 13-25 79. Fouls: 25. Fouled out: Sanders, Damron.
SYMMES VALLEY (6-8, 5-6): Caden Brammer 1 4 7-10 21, Luke Leith 6 0 4-9 16, Ethan Patterson 1 0 0-0 2, Josh Ferguson 0 0 3-4 3, Brayden Webb 1 0 0-0 2, Drew Scherer 5 2 2-4 18, Nick Strow 0 0 0-0 0, Eli Patterson 5 0 2-5 12, Grayson Walsh 0 1 3-4 6. Totals: 26-50 21-35 80. 3-pt goals: 7-15. Rebounds: 17-O, 18-D = 35 (Leith 15, Eli Patterson 6, Scherer 5). Assists: 19 (Brammer 6, Walsh 6, Scherer 4). Steals: 4 (Brammer 2). Blocks: 4. Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.