By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

FRANKLIN FURNACE — Fans usually can expect a tough battle when the Symmes Valley Vikings and Green Bobcats get together, and that’s what they got Friday night.

In a grueling game, the Bobcats fought their way to a 58-54 Southern Ohio Conference win over the Vikings.

“It was the most physical game we’ve played all year, even more physical than the Minford game,” said Green coach Bobby Blanton.

Green (5-2, 4-0) had four players in double figures led by T.J. McCloud with 15. Cody Bruce scored 13, Tyler Hughes had 11 and Pat Pierce 10.

“We had four in double digits. I’ve been waiting for that all year,” said Blanton.

The Vikings (5-3, 1-2) were led by Luke Taylor with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Josh Craft had 13 points, two assists and three steals and Ryan Stanley grabbed 11 rebounds.

Two big problems plagued the Vikings. They had 18 turnovers and were 23 of 61 from the field for 37.7 percent.

“We didn’t shoot well and we turned it over too many times,” said Vikings’ coach Jerome Fuller. “We’re just not playing well right now. We need to find ways to score.”

The Vikings scored the first eight points of the game before McCloud scored seven points and the game was tied 14-14 at the end of the quarter.

Green went up 27-22 at the break and led by as many as 10 points in the third quarter before the Vikings climbed within 47-40 at the end of the stanza.

Taylor scored 10 points in the fourth quarter attempting to rally the Vikings, but Hughes was 7 of 10 from the foul line as Green held on for the win.

Hughes scored nine of Green’s 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Green played Portsmouth Clay Saturday in an SOC makeup game.

The Vikings return home Tuesday to play Beaver Eastern, one of the favorites in the league race.

Symmes Valley 14 8 18 14 = 54

Green 14 13 20 11 = 58

SYMMES VALLEY (5-3, 1-2): Brad Lemaster 0 0 0-0 0, D.J. Miller 2 0 5-6 9, Corey Brown 1 0 0-0 2, Luke Taylor 10 0 2-3 22, Tyler Wilson 1 0 0-0 2, Josh Craft 5 1 0-1 13, Jacob Patterson 1 0 0-0 2, Ryan Stanley 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 23-61 7-10 54. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 35 (Stanley 11, Taylor 10). 3-point goals: 1-11. Assists: 7 (Miller 2, Craft 2). Steals: 10 (Craft 3, Stanley 3). Blocked shots: 5 (Stanley 3). Turnovers: 18.

GREEN (5-2, 4-0): Tyler Hughes 2 0 7-10 11, Pat Pierce 1 2 2-6 10, Clay Applegate 2 0 0-0 4, Cody Bruce 60 1-2 13, Tyler Crace 1 1 0-0 5, T.J. McCloud 7 0 1-1 15, Chad Lewis 0 0 0-0 0, Rob Applegate 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 3 11-19 58. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

RESERVES: Symmes Valley 33-29. SV scoring: Austin Baldwin 10, Tyler Rowe 8.