By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

WILLOW WOOD — By doing something new the Symmes Valley Vikings continued to do what they’ve been doing.

The Vikings managed to win a close game and thus picked up their fifth win in six decisions as they held off the South Gallia Rebels 51-48 Tuesday.

“We didn’t play well but we pulled it out. That’s something we didn’t do last year,” said Vikings’ coach Jerome Fuller. “South Gallia always scraps and fights. They always play us tough.”

Luke Taylor led a balanced offense with 12 points. Josh Craft and D.J. Miller added 10 points each.

Taylor grabbed 15 rebounds to go with three assists. Craft had nine rebounds and four assists. Corey Brown had two steals and Ryan Stanley two blocked shots.

Jaylen Nolan scored 18 points and Cory Haner 12 for the Rebels.

Tyler Wilson scores seven of his nine in the first quarter as the Vikings took a 16-9 lead.

Brown got all six of his points in the second quarter as the Vikings stretched their lead to 30-22 at the half.

But Symmes Valley managed just eight points in the third quarter as South Gallia cut the deficit to 38-35.

The Vikings built a 7-point lead in the fourth quarter before a 3-pointer by Nolan got the Rebels within three.

“We were 10 of 12 at the line and they were 6 of 14 and that was the ball game,” said Fuller. “We got a good team effort, we just didn’t play well defensively.”

The Vikings host Portsmouth Clay on Tuesday with the reserve game beginning early at 5 p.m.

South Gallia 9 13 13 13 = 48

Symmes Valley 16 14 8 13 = 51

SOUTH GALLIA (3-3): Jaylen Nolan 5 1 5-10 18, Levi Ellis 1 0 1-2 3, Cory Haner 3 2 0-0 12, Danny Matney 2 1 0-0 7, Dalton Matney 4 0 0-2 8, Cody Rhodes 0 0 0-0 0, John Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Michael Parcell 0 0 0-0 0, David Michael 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 4 6-14 48. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Nolan.

SYMMES VALLEY (5-1): Brad Lemaster 0 0 0-0 0, D.J. Miller 4 0 2-2 10, Corey Brown 1 0 4-4 6, Luke Taylor 6 0 0-0 12, Tyler Wilson 3 1 0-0 9, Josh Craft 3 0 4-6 10, Jacob Patterson 0 0 0-0 0, Ryan Stanley 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 20-51 10-12 51. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 1-5. Rebounds: 31 (Taylor 15, Craft 9). Assists: 11 (Craft 4, Taylor 3). Steals: 6 (Brown 2). Blocked shots: 4 (Stanley 2). Turnovers: 12.

RESERVES: Symmes Valley 47-36. Symmes Valley: Tyler Rowe 17, Dillon Pelletier 11.