Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — To make free throws or to miss free throws, that was the difference.

Symmes Valley was unable to convert its free throws down the stretch while Portsmouth Clay didn’t seem to miss and the Lady Panthers beat the Lady Vikings 57-52 on Thursday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

Jensen Warnock made three foul shots and Sophia Balestra was 2-of-2 for Clay while the Lady Vikings made just one of their eight attempts in the final minutes of the game.

“Free throws are so important in any game, especially a close game,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter. “They other night we made our foul shots and tonight we didn’t. It’s something we work on, but sometimes you just have those kind of nights.”

Symmes Valley (6-3, 5-2) was led by Jensyn Shepherd with 16 points while Payton Walsh had 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Kaitlyn Payne had 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals while Meranda Hayes had 4 assists and 5 steals for the Lady Vikings.

Warnock scored 23 points, Lila Brown 13 and Skylar Artis 11 to pace Clay (4-4, 4-3).

Walsh scored 6 points in the first quarter and the game was tied at 11.

Shepherd got 6 points in the second quarter to help offset three 3-pointers by Brown and Symmes Valley led 30-26.

Clay got within 40-38 after three quarters as Warnock scored 10 points in the quarter.

Walsh and Warnock matched each other with 7 points in the fourth quarter but Clay converted its free throws to get the win.

Symmes Valley plays Chesapeake at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the South Point Shootout.

Sym. Valley 11 19 10 12 = 52

Ports. Clay 11 15 12 19 = 57

SYMMES VALLEY (6-3, 5-2): Sierra Ross 1 0 0-2 2, Breanna Brumfield 2 1 0-0 5, Jensyn Shepherd 7 0 2-5 16, Meranda Hayes 2 1 0-2 7, Kaitlyn Payne 1 0 3-4 5, Maddie Scott 2 0 0-0 4, Payton Walsh 6 0 1-2 13, Crabtree Baldwin 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 2 6-16 52. Rebounds: 50 (Payne 13, Walsh 10). Assists: 14 (Payne 4, Hayes 4). Steals: 14 (Hayes 5, Payne 4). Blocked shots: 3 (Walsh 3). Turnovers: 28. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (4-4, 4-3): Lila Brown 2 3 0-0 13, Regan Osborn 2 0 2-4 6, Sophia Balestra 1 0 2-2 4, Jensen Warnock 7 1 6-10 23, Skylar Artis 1 3 0-0 11, Cam Delotell 0 0 0-0 0, LaCryra Craig 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 7 10-16