Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — The Manchester Greyhounds were coming off an upset of the Green Bobcats in the Division 4 sectional tournament.

As far as the Symmes Valley Vikings were concerned, the Greyhounds had their tournament moment.

The Vikings had their moment on Friday as they captured the sectional championship with a 72-26 romp over the Greyhounds.

“It’s pretty exciting. Not too many people gave us much of a chance to win the league, let alone the sectional,” said Vikings coach Alvin Carpenter about the Vikings sharing the Southern Ohio Conference title and then winning the sectional title.

“But the kids really came together and they have become a good defensive team. They get along well and they don’t care who does what as long as they win.”

The Vikings (18-3) weren’t about to overlook the Greyhounds as they were focused on winning the sectional and advancing to Leesburg Fairfield in the district semifinals at 8:30 p.m. next Saturday at Wellston High School.

“I was wondering how we’d do after losing last week. But they had a good week of practice and they got serious about this and we payed with as much intensity in the first and third quarters as we have all year,” said Carpenter.

Symmes Valley came out of the locker room and built a 20-2 lead as Brayden Webb scored 9 points, Caden Brammer had 4 points and Dilen Caldwell hit the first of his five 3-pointers.

Caldwell had another trey in the second quarter but the Vikings only managed 9 points and led 29-17 at the half.

Connor Darnell hit a pair of 3-pointers and Isaiah Scott scored 5 points in the period which was easily the Greyhounds most productive quarter in the game.

But the Vikings came back in the second half even more focused as they outscored the Greyhounds 26-5 and the lead ballooned to 55-22.

Webb had a 3-pointer and scored 11 points, Caldwell hit another trifecta and scored 5 points while Logan Justice came off the bench to hit a 3-pointer in the quarter.

Caldwell took over in the fourth quarter with two more 3-pointers as he scored 10 of the Vikings’ 17 points. Brammer added a 3-pointer to the cause.

Webb finished the game with a game-high 22 points and he raked in 13 rebounds. Caldwell scored 21 points, Ethan Patterson had 4 rebounds and 4 steals while Walsh and Brammer had 3 assists each. Brammer also had 5 steals.

Scott scored 12 points for Manchester (6-18).

Manchester 2 15 5 4 = 26

Sym. Valley 20 9 26 17 = 72

MANCHESTER (6-18): Daulton McDonald 1 0 0-0 2, Brayden Young 1 0 0-0 2, Connor Darnell 0 2 0-0 6, Drew Kennedy 0 0 0-0 0, Leland Horner 2 0 0-0 4, Logan Bell 0 0 0-0 0, Isaiah Scott 5 0 2-3 12, Karson Reaves 0 0 0-0 0, Aaron Lucas 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 9 2 2-3 26. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (18-3): Levi Ross 0 0 0-0 0, Caden Brammer 3 1 0-0 9, Ethan Patterson 2 0 0-0 4, Dilen Caldwell 3 5 0-0 21, Brayden Webb 9 1 1-1 22, Aleck Beckett 1 0 0-0 2, Levi Best 3 0 0-0 6, Josh Saunders 0 0 0-0 0, Braden Corn 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Strow 1 0 0-0 2, Logan Justice 0 1 0-0 3, Grayson Walsh 1 – 1-4 3, Jacob Cade 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 31-61 2-5 72. 3-pt goals: 8-18. Rebounds: 13-O, 19-D = 32 (Webb 13, Eth. Patterson 4). Assists: 8 (Walsh 3, Brammer 3). Steals: 16 (Brammer 5, Eth. Patterson 4). Blocks: 2 (Eth. Patterson, Justice). Turnovers: 5. Fouls: 6. Fouled out: None.