Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings were struggling on offense, so they turned to their defense.
And what a defense.
The Lady Vikings used a strong defense that included a scoreless third quarter to beat the Green Lady Bobcats 56-28 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Thursday.
Symmes Valley had three players in double figures as seven different players scored.
Taylor Sells led with 14 points and she had four steals. Jensyn Shepherd got 13 points, seven rebounds and blocked three shots while Rachael Hayes added 10 points and four assists.
Kaitlyn Crabtree had nine points and hauled down 13 rebounds. She also had four steals and two blocked shots.
Megan Johnson and Leslie Gallion led Green with six points each.
Shepherd scored six points — she was 4-of-4 at the line — and Kyle Deer hit a 3-pointer as the Lady Vikings took a 15-9 first quarter lead.
Johnson had a 3-pointer and Gallion scored three points to keep Green close.
Shepherd scored seven points in the second quarter and Payton Hunter added a 3-pointer as Symmes Valley went up 30-23 at the half.
Logan Jones and Kim Brown had four points each while Peyton Gaffney and Gallion each hit 3-pointers to pace the Lady Bobcats.
The Lady Vikings went to work defensively as they held Green scoreless in the third quarter and opened up a 42-23 lead.
Hayes had six points as she went 4-of-4 at the foul line and Crabtree scored five points.
Sells scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as Symmes Valley outscored the Lady Bobcats 14-5.
Megan Johnson hit a 3-pointer for Green.
Sym. Valley    15    15    12    14    =    56
Green          9    14    0    5    =    28
SYMMES VALLEY (11-8, 7-6): Kaitlyn Crabtree 3 0 3-4 9, Payton Hunter 0 1 0-0 3, Kyle Deer 0 1 1-2 4, Jensyn Shepherd 4 0 5-6 13, Taylor Sells 7 0 0-1 14, Rachael Hayes 2 0 6-8 10, Kaylee Cade 1 0 1-2 3, Hailee Littlejohn 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-56 16-23 56. 3-pt goals: 2-16. Rebounds: 17-O, 20-D = 37 (Crabtree 13, Shepherd 7). Assists: 11 (Hayes 4). Steals: 14 (Crabtree 4, Sells 4, Hunter 3). Blocks: 6 (Shepherd 3, Crabtree 2). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (NA): Ava Jenkins 0 0 0-0 0, Peyton Gaffney 0 1 0-0 3, Leslie Gallion 1 1 1-4 6, Megan Jonson 0 2 0-0 6, Kim Brown 1 0 2-2 4, Kame Sweeney 2 0 0-2 4, Charlie Blevins 0 0 0-0 0, Logan Jones 2 0 1-2 5. Totals: 6 4 4-10 28. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.