By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

LATHAM — Road wins are always hard to get. Just ask the Symmes Valley Vikings.

Facing a 5-point deficit on the road heading into the fourth quarter, the Vikings came to lift in the fourth quarter and scored 36 points as they rallied to beat the Western Indians 79-67 Friday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

“Our road games are all tough and they’re all long trips,” said Vikings’ coach Jerome Fuller.

“We fought through some adversity. Western is much improved and then they had someone who had a great night offensively, but we hung in there and kept battling.”

Austin Baldwin keyed the comeback with 19 of his 25 points coming in the second half. He also had 6 rebounds.

D.J. Miller scored 18 points including 10-of-10 at the foul line. He also had 8 assists and 6 steals. Tyler Rowe grabbed 11 rebounds for the Vikings.

Colton Lightle led Western with a game-high 32 points as he hit eight 3-point goals and went 6 of 7 at the line. Brandon Brewster added 11 points.

Western led 17-14 after the first quarter and 36-32 at the half.

Baldwin hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Vikings cut the deficit to 48-43 at the end of the third quarter and continued his hot hand into the fourth quarter.

Baldwin had 16 points including three trifectas to ignite the comeback. The Vikings were 13 of 16 from the foul line as a team with Miller going 6 of 6 and scoring 8 points in the quarter.

“Austin had a huge offensive quarter and Miller gave us a good, solid game,” said Fuller. “But we got a lot of players who contributed. It was a great team effort.”

The Vikings host league-leading Portsmouth Notre Dame on Tuesday.

Symmes Valley 14 18 11 36 = 79

Western Pike 17 19 12 19 = 67

SYMMES VALLEY (5-5, 5-1): Alec Herrell 3 0 0-0 6, Jonathan Kouns 0 0 3-4 3, Zane Wheeler 0 0 0-0 0, Dylan Pelletier 1 0 0-0 2, D.J. Miller 4 0 10-10 18, Tyler Wilson 1 0 0-0 2, Tanner Conley 2 0 1-2 5, Austin Baldwin 4 4 5-6 25, Mitch Corn 4 0 1-2 9, Tyler Rowe 4 0 1-2 9. Totals: 27-60 21-26 79. 3-point goals: 4-12. Rebounds: 28 (Rowe 11, Baldwin 6). Assists: 20 (Miller 8). Steals: 13 (Miller 6). Turnovers: 10. Blocked shots: 2. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.

WESTERN PIKE (NA): Brian May 0 0 0-0 0, Colton Ross 1 0 2-2 4, Bruce Knauff 1 0 2-6 4, Chandler Grooms 1 1 0-0 5, Colton Lightle 1 8 6-7 32, Ethan Riggs 0 0 0-0 0, Robert Russell 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Shanks 4 0 1-4 9, Josh Alexander 1 0 0-0 2, Brandon Brewster 3 1 2-2 11. Totals: 12 10 13-21 67. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Grooms.