By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — What a way to start the season.

In an exciting back-and-forth battle, the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans managed to get past the Symmes Valley Vikings 67-58 on Friday.

Landon Barbarits scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Titans. Brady Davis had 13 points and Myles Phillips add3d 10 points.

Tanner Corn hit 8 3-point goals for his 24 points and Ethan Smith had 21 points to lead the Vikings in their season opener.

Barbartits hit a pair of 3-pointers and Zion Boerger scored 4 points in the first quarter as the Titans took a 14-13 lead.

Corn knocked down three 3-pointers to keep the Vikings close.

Barbarits knocked down two more 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the second quarter while Brady Davis had 7 points and the Titans were up 33-31 at the half.

Corn buried five more trifectas in the second quarter and Gradee Holland also hit a 3-pointer to account for the Vikings’ scoring in the quarter.

Myles Phillips, Boerger, Aaryn Bradford and Barbarits all scored 4 points each in the third quarter and the Titans were up 49-44.

Smith hit a triple and scored 7 points for the Vikings with Asher Maynard hitting a 3-pointer and Bronx Carpenter added 3 points.

The Titans converted 5-of-8 free throws and Phillips scored 6 points including a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to put some distance between the two teams.

Smith took over for the Vikings as he drained three 3 shots from behind the arc and scored 13 of the 14 points in the quarter.

Notre Dame    14 19 16 18 = 67

Sym. Valley 13 18 13 14 = 58

PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (2-0): Landon Barbarits 5 5 1-2 26, Aaryn Bradford 2 0 5-8 9, Sawyer Rutman 0 0 0-0 0, Jaxon Stombock 0 0 0-0 0, Keagan Fowler 0 0 0-0 0, Garrett Barbarits 0 0 0-0 0, Myles Phillips 3 1 1-2 10, Kenady McGraw 0 0 0-0 0, Zion Boerger 4 0 1-3 9, Brady Davis 5 0 3-3 13. Totals: 19 6 11-18 67. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (0-1): Gradee Holland 0 1 0-0 3, Logan Simpkins 0 0 1-2 1, Ethan Smith 4 4 2-6 21, Tanner Corn 0 8 0-0 24, Bronx Carpenter 1 0 1-2 3, Will Jones 1 0 0-0 2, Levi Owens 0 0 0-2 0, Asher Maynard 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 6 14 4-12 58. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.