Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WILLOW WOOD — This was Basketball 101.

The Symmes Valley Vikings got a lesson in basketball patience in a 45-35 loss to the Oak Hill Oaks Tuesday.

The Oaks rallied in the second half to take the lead and then chewed up the clock to secure the win.

“We didn’t play bad, we just have to learn how to keep the lead. We have to do like they do. They got the lead and sat on it,” said Vikings’ coach Donnie Saunders.

“We just have to learn how to handle it better. Oak Hill just has that court discipline.”

Garrin Stiltner scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Oaks (3-0). Jordan Fisher added 10 points.

Jonathon Kouns scored 10 points, Kurt Adams had 9 points on three 3-pointers and Tyler Rowe added 8 points to pace a balanced offense for the Vikings (1-1).

Stiltner scored 10 points in the first quarter as the Oaks took a 16-13 lead. Adams hit a pair of 3-pointers for Symmes Valley.

The Vikings fell behind by 7 points in the second quarter, but they rallied in the second quarter and took a 22-20 halftime lead.

Oak Hill regained the lead in the third quarter as Stiltner scored 9 points and it was 34-29.

Kouns scored 5 points in the fourth quarter to keep the Vikings close, but they were forced to foul and the Oaks continued to pull away down the stretch.

“Our impatience was the difference. They sat on the lead and we would get impatient and make a foul,” said Saunders.

In the reserve game, the Vikings won 39-16 as Shawn Belville scored 12 and Josh Dial had 11.

Oak Hill 16 4 14 11 = 45

Sym. Valley 13 9 7 6 = 35

OAK HILL (3-0): Jonathon Harrison 0 1 1-2 4, Garrin Stiltner 7 2 6-14 26, Carlin Haggerty 0 0 0-0 0, Cody Swann 1 0 1-2 3, Jordan Fisher 4 0 2-2 10, Dennis Fleming 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 13 3 10-20 45. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (1-1): Dylan Malone 0 0 0-0 0, Seth Jarrell 0 0 0-0 0, Kurt Adams 0 3 0-0 9, Jonathon Kouns 1 2 2-2 10, Jacob Klaiber 1 0 0-0 2, Tyler Rowe 3 0 2-6 8, Ryan Gibson 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 8 5 4-8 35. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Malone, Adams.