Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ROCKSPRINGS — There hasn’t been any quit in the Symmes Valley Vikings all season, so why quit despite being an underdog in the sectional finals?
The Vikings trailed by 18 points at halftime but fought back to tie the game and send it into overtime before falling 68-61 to the Waterford Wildcats in the Division IV sectional tournament finals on Wednesday.
Waterford needed a clutch 3-pointer goal just before the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.
The Vikings fell behind 44-26 at the half.
Symmes Valley cut the deficit to 49-44 with five minutes to play and then took a 53-51 lead. Austin Mannon hit two clutch 3-pointers in the comeback.
Layken Gothard hit a 3-pointer as the Vikings took a 54-53 lead with 2:51 to play. The Vikings were up 59-56 when Bryce Hilverding hit a 3-pointer to send the game into overtime.
Travis Pottmeyer had a putback to start the overtime and Waterford went up 60-58.
Mannon was fouled and hit one shot and it was 60-59. But the Vikings had two missed shots and two turnovers and Waterford took advantage as Peyten Stephens made a layup for a 62-59 lead with a little more than a minute to play.
The Wildcats missed two free throws but got the offensive rebound and Noah Huffman was fouled. He hit both free throws and it was 64-59.
The Vikings missed a shot and Huffman was fouled with 19.6 seconds and he hit both shots again for a 66-59 lead.
The Vikings scored and it was 66-61. Hilverding was fouled with 12 seconds left and made the free throws to ice the win.
Gothard socred 20 points to lead three players in double figures for the Vikings who finished the season 12-10.
Jack Leith scored 13 points and Hunter Adams added 10.
Mannon scored eight points, Nick Klaiber six and Brock Carpenter got three.
Hiverding and Pottmeyer scored 21 points each for Waterford (15-7) while Huffman scored 11.
Austin Pyatt had seven points, Russell Young five and Peyten Stephens three to complete the Wildcats’ scoring.
Waterford playes Peebles at 7:15 p.m. on Sunday in the district semifinals at Ohio University’s Convocation Center.