By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

WILLOW WOOD — When it comes to basketball, the one thing a team can control is how it plays defense.

The Symmes Valley Vikings were in control Friday night.

The Vikings used their defense to beat the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans 52-41 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

“We’re going to be off and on, so our defense is going to have to carry us,” said Vikings’ coach Jerome Fuller. “Offensively we had some struggles, but defensively we played excellent.”

Luke Taylor gave the Vikings some offense as well as defense. Taylor had 19 points on 9 of 14 shooting and pulled down 14 rebounds. D.J. Miller added 15 points, four assists and two steals.

“Luke had one of his best games,” said Fuller. “Down the stretch it seemed like he got every ball that came off the rim.”

Symmes Valley (1-1, 1-0) led 24-16 at the half and held the Titans to single digit scoring in each of the first three quarters.

“That was a pretty impressive piece of defense the first half,” said Fuller.

The Vikings were up 32-22 after three quarters and then Taylor and Miller scored seven points each in the fourth quarter to help secure the win.

Tyler Noel had 11 points and Michael Mader 10 for Notre Dame (1-2, 0-1).

The Vikings hosted Coal Grove Saturday.

Notre Dame 7 9 6 19 = 41

Symmes Valley 8 16 8 20 = 52

PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (1-2, 0-1): Kevin Lewis 0 2 2-2 8, Brock Hannah 0 0 2-4 2, Tyler Noel 5 0 1-2 11, Blake Glockner 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Meloni 1 0 0-1 2, Jeff July 1 0 0-1 2, Michael Mader 3 1 1-3 10, Brad Pierron 1 0 2-2 4. Totals: 12 3 8-15 41. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (1-1, 1-0): D.J. Miller 4 1 4-7 15, Cory Brown 1 0 0-0 2, Luke Taylor 9 0 1-2 19, Tyler Wilson 3 0 0-0 6, Josh Craft 2 0 2-4 6, Jacob Patterson 1 0 1-4 3, Ryan Stanley 0 0 1-2 1. Totals: 21-48 9-19 52. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 1-5. Rebounds: 36 (Taylor 14, Wilson 7, Patterson 7). Assists: 15 (Miller 4, Taylor 3). Steals: 9 (Miller 2, Wilson 2). Turnovers: 16. Blocked shots: 3 (Stanley 2).