Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WILLOW WOOD — Symmes Valley coach Donnie Saunders kept looking for the right combination. Once he found it, he liked what he saw.

The Vikings struggled for three quarters and trailed by 7 points, but a strong finish enabled Symmes Valley to edge the New Boston Tigers 62-61 on Saturday in a Southern Ohio Conference I game.

“We lacked energy at the start. I played 15 different players trying to find something to get us going,” said Vikings’ coach Donnie Saunders.

“I put the starters back in at the end of the third quarter and we had a good fourth quarter surge.”

The late surge was keyed by Austin Baldwin who scored 20 points including 16 in the fourth quarter as the Vikings outscored New Boston 27-19.

D.J. Miller scored 13 points and Tyler Rowe had 11 points in the win for the Vikings (12-10, 8-6).

Shane Buckley scored 24 points and Branden Herrforth had 14 to lead New Boston.

The Tigers led 18-12 at the end of the first quarter and it was 24-19 at the half.

Buckley scored 9 points in the third quarter and New Boston had a 42-35 lead.

Buckley scored 13 more points in the fourth quarter, but Baldwin dominated inside and Miller was 4 of 4 at the foul line to complete the comeback.

“We had it put away and then we made some mistakes,” said Saunders.

The Vikings play Waterford at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at Meigs High School in the Division IV sectional tournament.

New Boston 18 6 18 19 = 61

Symmes Valley 12 7 16 27 = 62

NEW BOSTON (NA): Shane Buckley 4 2 10-13 24, Branden Herrforth 3 2 2-2 14, Austin Raines 1 0 1-2 3, Nate Payton 2 1 0-0 7, James Spicer 0 0 0-0 0, Parker Steele 2 1 0-1 7, Tyler Shonkwiler 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 15 6 13-18 61. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Herrforth.

SYMMES VALLEY (12-10, 8-6): Alec Herrell 1 1 2-2 7, Jonathan Kouns 0 0 0-0 0, Zane Wheeler 0 0 0-0 0, Dylan Pelletier 0 0 0-0 0, Matt Rutt 0 0 0-0 0, Ryan Gibson 1 0 0-0 2, D.J. Miller 4 0 5-6 13, Lane Wilson 0 0 0-0 0, Jacob Graybeal 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Baldwin 10 0 0-1 20, Seth Jarrell 0 0 0-0 0, Clayton Toney 0 1 1-4 4, Dylan Malone 1 0 1-2 3, Tyler Rowe 5 0 1-4 11. Totals: 23 2 10-19 62. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Herrell.