MacArthur -- Missed shots led to a missed opportunity.

The Symmes Valley Vikings were just 25 of 74 from the field -- 34 percent -- and as a result lost 76-70 to the Trimble Tomcats Sunday in the Division IV sectional finals.

"We didn't play bad and we got the shots we wanted, we just didn't shoot the ball very well. We missed all kinds of layups. We scored 70 points and probably could have score 100," Vikings coach Alvin Carpenter said.

Symmes Valley (13-6) placed four players in double figures led by Kevin Miller with 19 points. Kyle Gilmore had 15 points, J. D. Miller scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds while Terry Elswick added 12 points.

Seth Colegrove grabbed 10 rebounds and Elswick had five assists.

Noah Barrett scored 25 points to lead four Tomcats in double figures. Bruce Fouts had 18 points and 15 rebounds, A. J. Jenkins scored 14, and Zach Walton had 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The game was tied 15-15 after the first quarter. J. D. Miller scored 9 points in the second quarter but the Vikings fell behind a 38-34 at the half.

Kevin Miller came back with 9 points in the third quarter as the Vikings took a 57-55 lead.

But Barrett had 10 points in the fourth including 5 of 6 from the line over the final 1:30 of the game. Trimble converted 12 of 16 in the final quarter.

Free throws proved to be the margin of difference in the game. Trimble made 19 of 39 while the Vikings converted 13 of 20.

Symmes Valley plays at Beaver Eastern Tuesday and travels to Green Friday in Southern Ohio Conference games. The Vikings need at least one win to earn a tie for the SOC title and two wins would give them the championship outright.

Trimble15231721--76

Sym. Valley15192313--70

GLOUSTER TRIMBLE (10-10):

R. J. Andrews 2 0 2-6 6, Noah Barrett 6 2 7-8 25, Justin Jenkins 0 0 2-2 2, A. J. Jenkins 4 1 3-8 14, Zach Walton 5 0 1-2 11, Bruce Fouts 7 0 4-13 18. Totals: 24

3

19-39

76. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Fouts. Rebounds: 40 (Fouts 15, Walton 14). Assists: 15 (Jenkins 8, Andrews 5). Steals: 14 (Walton 5). Turnovers: 14.

SYMMES VALLEY (13-6):

Kyle Gilmore 0 3 6-7 15, Terry Elswick 3 1 3-6 12, Cory Burcham 0 1 0-0 3, Seth Colegrove 1 0 0-0 2, T. J. Grubbs 1 1 0-0 5, Kevin Miller 7 1 2-4 19, J. D. Miller 6 0 2-3 14. Totals: 25-74

(7)

13-20

70. Fouls: 28. Fouled out: Colegrove. Rebounds: 37 ( J. D. Miller 11, Colegrove 10). Assists: 8 (Elswick 5). Steals: 6 (Gilmore 2, Elswick 2, Grubbs 2). Turnovers: 14.