By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

NEW BOSTON — If it’s free, you have to take advantage of it.

The Symmes Valley Vikings didn’t take advantage of their free throws and as a result lost 69-67 to the New Boston Tigers Friday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

The Vikings made just 5 of 20 free throw attempts while the Tigers were 14 of 31.

“You’ve got to make free throws,” said Vikings’ coach Jerome Fuller. “If you make free throws like this and win, you have to play a bad team. New Boston is not a bad team.”

Levi Horsely was only 5 of 13 at the line but he scored 40 points to lead New Boston. Horsely needed 27 points to reach 1,000 career points.

Austin Baldwin had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals to lead the Vikings (6-10, 6-5). Alec Herrell scord 14 points including four 3-pointers, Tyler Rowe had 9 rebounds and D.J. Miller had 9 points and 8 assists.

Horsley scored 12 points in the first quarter as New Boston took a 19-14 lead. He had 7 more in the second quarter and it was 38-29 at the break.

Herrell scored 8 points in the third quarter as the Vikings cut the deficit to 54-48, but Horsley had 12 more to keep the Tigers in front.

The Vikings rallied in the fourth quarter as Baldwin scored 14 points but Horsley had 9 points to help protect the lead.

Symmes Valley won the first meeting between the two teams by the same score.

Symmes Valley 14 15 19 19 = 67

New Boston 19 19 16 15 = 69

SYMMES VALLEY (6-10, 6-5): Alec Herrell 1 4 1-2 14, Johnathan Kouns 0 0 0-2 0, Dylan Pelletier 3 0 0-0 6, D.J. Miller 3 1 0-3 9, Tyler Wilson 2 0 2-3 6, Tanner Conley 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Baldwin 7 3 1-4 24, Mitch Corn 1 0 0-0 2, Tyler Rowe 2 0 1-6 5. Totals: 27-60 5-20 67. 3-point goals: 8-14. Rebounds: 29 (Baldwin 10, Rowe 9). Assists: 20 (Miller 8). Steals: 12 (Baldwin 3, Pelletier 3). Blocked shots: 2. Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Herrell.

NEW BOSTON (NA): Lev Horsley 10 5 5-13 40, Trey Branham 3 0 2-2 8, Shane Buckley 3 0 2-6 8, Matt Mohr 2 0 5-8 9, Brendan Herrforth 2 0 0-0 4, Nate Payton 0 0 0-0 0, Jordan Moore 0 0 0-2 0. Totals: 20 5 14-31 69. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.