BEAVER — Even while things were going bad, Symmes Valley coach Alvin Carpenter was feeling good.

And when things started going good, he was ecstatic.

Carpenter was feeling good Tuesday after the Vikings withstood a long-range shooting barrage by Eastern to rally past the Eagles 71-64 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

Eastern knocked down six 3-point goals in the first half en route to a 44-34 halftime lead.

“In the first half, they shot the lights out. I felt fortunate going in at halftime only being down 10,” Carpenter said. “The second half was one of the better halves we’ve played this year.”

Although Eastern hit four more treys, the Vikings defense held the Eagles to just 20 points in the half and rallied for the win.

“We started putting pressure on them in the second half. We started contesting all their shots. (Brice) Sexton and (Tyler) Smith and (Jacob) Johnson rotated in and out and they kept the pressure on,” Carpenter said.

John Slone scored 10 points in the first quarter

to offset 9 by the Vikings Michael Humphrey and Eastern it was 21-21.

Brian Osborne scored 11 points in the second quarter as Eastern went ahead 44-34 at the break. Kirt Shipley had 8 points to keep the Vikings close.

Symmes Valley cut the deficit to 54-47 at the end of the third quarter.

Kyle Meadows then scored 9 points in the fourth quarter while Smith and Humphrey combined to make 6 of 8 free throws over the final 1:30 of the game to seal the win.

Humphrey led the Vikings with 22 points. Meadows had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. Shipley added 17 points and 4 steals.

Symmes Valley is now 8-3 on the season and 5-2 in the SOC.

Slone had 22 points to lead the Eagles (5-7, 5-1) who lost for the first time in the league.

Sym. Valley21131324=71

Eastern21231010=64

SYMMES VALLEY (8-3, 5-2): Tyler Smith 2 0 3-4 7, Brice Sexton 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Johnson 1 0 2-6 4, Kirt Shipley 4 3 0-1 17, Chris Capper 1 0 0-2 2, Kyle Meadows 7 0 3-4 17, Michael Humphrey 6 2 4-6 22. Totals: 27-48 12-23 71. 3-point goals: 5-10. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 29 (Meadows 11, Capper 6). Assists: 13 (Smith 5, Johnson 4). Steals: 11 (Smith 4, Shipley 4). Turnovers: 16. Blocked shots: 6 (Meadows 4).

BEAVER EASTERN (5-7, 5-1): Ian Bapsit 0 1 0-0 3, A.J. Osborne 2 3 0-0 13, John Slone 7 2 2-2 22, Brian Osborne 1 4 3-4 17, Aaron Polland 4 0 1-3 9, Whitt Jordan 0 0 0-0 0, Derek Lawhorn 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14

10

6-9

64. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.