NEW BOSTON — The Symmes Valley Vikings had just scored 80 points and won by 32 points. But the only thing that excited Vikings head coach Alvin Carpenter was the team’s defense.

Our defense is starting to come around,” Carpenter said after the Vikings 80-48 Southern Ohio Conference win Friday over the New Boston Tigers.

“We had a little lull at the end of the second quarter but we came out pretty pumped in the third quarter.”

Now, that doesn’t mean Carpenter wasn’t pleased with the offense.

Kyle Meadows had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots to pace the Vikings (2-1, 1-0). Kirk Shipley had 15 points, Michael Humphrey 14 points and Chris Capper pulled down 15 rebounds.

“We came out and hit some shots and we were moving the ball well. We were playing pretty unselfish,. Everyone is beginning to accept their roles better,” Carpenter said.

Humphrey scored 8 points in the first quarter as Symmes Valley bolted to a 21-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

`Meadows got 10 points in the second quarter as the lead ballooned to 47-25. Shipley had 7 points in the third quarter and the Vikings held New Boston to 6 points as the lead grew to 70-31.

“It’s nice to get a road win in the league, especially at a place as tough as New Boston,” Carpenter said.

Josh Holbrook was the only New Boston player in double figures with 13 points.

Sym. Valley21262310=80

New Boston916617=48

SYMMES VALLEY (2-1, 1-0): Tyler Smith 4 0 0-0 8, Brice Sexton 0 0 1-2 1, Jacob Johnson 0 2 2-4 8, Kirk Shipley 4 1 4-6 15, Jesse Graybeal 0 0 1-2 1, Chris Capper 2 1 1-2 8, Matt Tibbs

0 0 4-4 4, Kyle Meadows 7 0 5-8 19, Nate Spencer 1 0 0-1 2, Michael Humphrey 6 0 2-2 14. Totals: 27-65

(3-9)

20-31

80. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 50 (Capper 15, Meadows 12). Assists: 16 (Sexton 5, Smith 4). Blocked shots: 10 (Meadows 5). Steals: 11. (Sexton 4, Smith 4). Turnovers: 14.

NEW BOSTON (0-2, 0-1):

Robert Waugh 1 1

0-0 5, Josh Howell 1 0 1-2 3, Jordan Darby 2 0 0-4 4, Mike Salisbury 2 1 2-2 9, Justin Bowling 1 0 0-0 2, Kenny Langston 3 0 0-0 6, Justin Lancaster 2 0 0-1 4, Josh Holbrook 3 1 4-5 13, Cody McNutt 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 16

3

7-14

48. Fouls: 24. Fouled out: Howell.