By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

PORTSMOUTH — Four doubles equaled one big single.

The Symmes Valley Vikings put four players in double figures and picked up a pivotal Southern Ohio Conference 62-52 win over the Portsmouth Clay Panthers Friday.

“We had four guys in double figures and that was a big help. Craft and Stanley gave us a big boost,” said Vikings’ coach Jerome Fuller.

“We got ourselves back in position in the league. We control our own destiny, but we’ve got some tough games coming up.”

The Vikings (11-3, 6-2) play the co-leaders over the next week. They host Green at home on Tuesday and then face Eastern on the road and at home the following Friday and Tuesday.

Luke Taylor had 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals to pace the Vikings. Josh Craft had 18 points and seven rebounds, D.J. Miller scored 12 and Ryan Stanley added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Clay (8-6, 7-2) was led by Cody Delotell with 15, Nathan Burchett 13 and Josh Valentine 12.

After taking a 12-8 first quarter lead, Taylor scored seven points in the second quarter as the Vikings opened up a 27-18 halftime lead.

“We did a good job controlling the game and keeping the right tempo,” said Fuller.

Craft and Miller got six points each in the third quarter and it was 44-36, but Clay cut the deficit to four points in the fourth quarter as Valentine scored 10.

But the Vikings converted 11 of 18 from the line as the Panthers began to foul. Taylor made four free throws while Stanley, Miller and Craft sank two each.

Symmes Valley 12 15 17 19 = 62

Portsmouth Clay 8 10 18 16 = 52

SYMMES VALLEY (11-3, 6-2): D.J. Miller 5 0 2-2 12, Corey Brown 0 0 0-0 0, Luke Taylor 6 0 7-12 19, Tyler Wilson 1 0 1-2 3, Josh Craft 5 1 5-8 18, Jacob Patterson 0 0 0-0 0, Ryan Stanley 3 0 4-6 10. Totals: 21-53 19-30 62. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 1-9. Rebounds: 33 (Taylor 10, Craft 7, Stanley 7). Assists: 13 (Taylor 5, Miller 3). Steals: 10 (Taylor 5). Blocked shots: 2 (Stanley, Patterson). Turnovers: 9.

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (8-6, 7-2): Cody Delotell 5 0 5-7 15, Josh Valentine 3 1 3-4 12, Cody Bussler 3 0 0-0 6, Chandler King 0 0 0-0 0, Nathan Burchett 5 1 0-0 13, Josh Porter 2 0 0-1 4, Max Graham 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 19 2 8-12 52. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Porter.

RESERVES: Symmes Valley (11-3) 52-32. SV leaders: Austin Baldwin 15, Alec Herrell 12.