Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — Symmes Valley Vikings’ coach Chad Coffman doesn’t like to play role reversal games.
The Vikings erased a 20-point deficit and outscored Green 38-30 in the second half only to fall short as the Bobcats held on for a 74-68 Southern Ohio Conference win on Friday.
“We have been starting fast and they have been starting slow. Tonight, it was the opposite,” said Coffman.
“It took us forever to get going and they played very well from the beginning. We played much harded in the second half but couldn’t get back all the way. They have some players that are very challenging to defend. It really bothered us not having Hunter Adams tonight.”
Green coach Dirk Hollar was pleased with his team’s early play but disappointed in how they finished.
“We played great until the end,” said Hollar. “We were up 20 and just let them take it from us or we gave it away. We didn’t handle it when we were up big and that’s something we cannot do if we wanna beat teams in the SOC.”
Layken Gothard scored 20 points to lead three Vikings in double figures. Gothard also had 12 rebounds and five steals.
Brock Carpenter scored 16 points and had eight rebounds while Jack Leith had 14 points and eight rebounds. Nick Klaiber added nine points.
Gage Sampson had 22 points to lead the Bobcats (6-5). Tanner Kimbler scored 20 points and Tayte Carver scored 18 points to go with a strong defensive effort.
Sampson scored nine points including a 3-pointer while Caden Blizzard and Carver both hit 3-pointers and scored five points to put Green up 25-15 at the end of the first quarter.
Gothard hit a 3-pointer and scored seven point in the quarter.
The Bobcats stretched the lead to 44-30 at the half as Carter hit two 3-pointers and scored eight points and Sampson added six more. Gothard scored six for the Vikings.
Symmes Valley (5-4, 3-4) cut the deficit to 57-44 at the end of the third quarter as Jack Leith scored six points and Gothard four more.
Carpenter took over and scored nine points, Leith and Klaiber four each and Gothard hit a 3-pointer as the Vikings rallied in the fourth quarter.
But the Kimbler scored nine points including 7-of-8 at the foul line and Carver was 3-of-4 as the Bobcats held on for the win.
The Vikings hosted Fairview, Ky., on Saturday and entertain Beaver Eastern on Tuesday. Green hosts Portsmouth Notre Dame on Tuesday.
Sym. Valley    15    15    14    24    =    68
Green          25    19    13    17    =    74
SYMMES VALLEY (5-4, 3-4): Derik Brace 1 0 0-0 2, Justin White 0 0 2-2 2, Jack Leith 5 0 4-4 14, Alec Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Klaiber 4 0 1-2 9, Layken Gothard 7 2 0-0 20, Austin Mannon 0 1 0-0 3, Brock Carpenter 6 1 1-2 16. Totals: 23 4 10-12 68. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (7-4): Tanner Kimbler 5 1 7-8 20, Tayte Carver 2 3 5-8 18, Gage Sampson 6 1 7-12 22, Caden Blizzard 2 1 1-4 8, Rylee Maynard 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Singleton 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 6 20-32 74. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.