Taylor’s 28 points keys Vikings win

Published 4:52 am Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Symmes Valley’s Luke Taylor scores two of his 28 points in a win over St. Joseph on Tuesday. (The Ironton Tribune / Kent Sanborn of Southern Ohio Sports Photos)

By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

This win was Taylor-made.

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Luke Taylor had 28 points and 15 rebounds as the Symmes Valley Vikings downed the St. Joseph Flyers 67-54 Tuesday.

“Luke had the best game of his life. He didn’t miss much,” said Vikings’ coach Jerome Fuller.

Taylor was the only Viking in double figures but benefited from 24 assists. D.J. Miller had nine points, four assists and four steals while Josh Craft had six assists. Tyler Wilson also had nine points.

The Flyers (2-3) were led by T.J. Young with a season-high 19 points including three trifectas. Eli Lewis scored 10 points, Tanner Riley nine and Cody Blackburn eight.

Taylor — who was 13 of 18 from the field — scored eight points in the first quarter to help offset 10 points by Young as the Vikings (3-1) went up 18-16.

The game remained tight in the second quarter with the Vikings taking a 33-30 halftime lead.

Symmes Valley built leads by as many as 11 points but the Flyers battled back each time. Taylor scored 10 points in the third quarter to help push the lead to 47-41.

“We moved the ball around really well. We’d get the lead up to 10 or 11 and then they would hit some 3s and get right back in it,” said Fuller.

“But then we wore them down and the shots stopped falling in the fourth quarter and we were able to open up a lead.”

The Vikings visit Sciotoville East Friday. Saint Joseph travels to South Webster Saturday.

In the reserve game, the Vikings won 38-17 as Alec Herrell scored 11 and Austin Baldwin nine.

Symmes Valley 18 15 14 20 = 67

St. Joseph 16 14 11 13 = 54

SYMMES VALLEY (3-1): D.J. Miller 4 0 1-2 9, Cory Brown 2 0 0-0 4, Luke Taylor 13 0 2-2 28, Tyler Wilson 3 0 3-4 9, Josh Craft 1 1 0-0 5, Jacob Patterson 4 0 0-1 8, Ryan Stanley 2 0 0-0 4, Brad Lemaster 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 30-51 6-9 67. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 1-6. Rebounds: 28 (Taylor 15). Assists: 24 (Craft 6, Miller 4). Steals: 13 (Miller 4). Turnovers: 19. Blocked shots: 3 (Stanley 3).

SAINT JOSEPH (2-3): Payton Blair 1 0 0-2 2, Ike Palmer 1 0 0-0 2, Eli Lewis 5 0 0-2 10, Cody Blackburn 2 1 1-3 8, Tanner Riley 2 1 2-2 9, Justin Mahlmeister 2 0 0-0 4, T.J. Young 5 3 0-2 19. Totals: 18 5 3-11 54. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.