Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Jack Leith got most of his work done early. By then, it was too late for the Portsmouth Clay Panthers.
Leith scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the first half as the Symmes Valley Vikings beat the Panthers 56-35 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Friday.
Leith had 8 points in the first quarter to offset 7 points by Clay’s Shaden Malone and the game was tied 13-13.
Leith had 10 more points in the second quarter as Symmes Valley outscored Clay 13-5 to generate a 26-18 halftime lead.
Caden Brammer scored 6 points and Leith had 4 more in the third quarter as the Vikings extended their lead to 40-27.
Drew Scherer also scored 4 points in the quarter for Symmes Valley.
The Vikings continued to pull away in the fourth quarter as Luke Leith scored 6 points and Scherer had 5 points including 3-of-5 from the foul line. Brammer was 2-of-3 at the line.
The Vikings shot 21-of-57 from the field for 38 percent but held a decisive 40-23 rebound advantage as Luke Leith pulled down 13 rebounds while Jack Leith and Scherer had 8 each.
Brammer had 4 assists and Scherer 3 while Jack Leith and Logan Walsh had 2 steals each.
Evan Woods hit three 3-pointers as he and Malone scored 9 points apiece for Clay (4-7, 3-2). Malone also had 12 rebounds.
The Vikings host Fairview, Ky., Saturday and Green on Tuesday.
Sym. Valley 13 13 14 16 = 56
Ports. Clay 13 5 9 8 = 35
SYMMES VALLEY (6-4, 3-1): Caden Brammer 3 0 2-3 8, Luke Leith 3 0 4-6 10, Josh Ferguson 0 1 0-0 3, Jack Leith 10 0 2-3 22, Logan Walsh 0 0 0-0 0, Brady Shepherd 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Scherer 4 0 5-7 13, Logan Justice 0 0 0-0 0, Tobey Smathers 0 0 0-0 0 Eli Patterson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-57 13-18 56. 3-pt goals: 1-8. Rebounds: 16-O, 24-D = 40 (L. Leith 13, J. Leith 8, Scherer 8). Assists: 13 (Brammer 4, Scherer 3) Steals: 10 (J. Leith 3, Walsh 2). Blocks: 6 (J. Leith 3, Brammer 2). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH CLAY (4-7, 3-2): Clay Cottle 2 0 0-2 4, Shaden Malone 2 0 5-8 9, Evan Woods 0 3 0-0 9, Gavin Cayton 0 0 0-0 0, Reece Whitley 1 0 0-0 2, Caden Malone 0 0 0-0 0, Gage Moore 2 0 1-2 5, Jaden Jessee 0 0 0-0 0, Dakota Dodds 1 0 2-4 4. Totals: 12-49 8-18 35. 3-pt goals: 3-16. Rebounds: 11-O, 12-D = 23 (Malone 12). Assists: 5 (Cottle 2, Moore 2). Steals: 7 (Woods 3, Cottle 2). Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.