Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — With the game tied at halftime, the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings returned for the third quarter and noticed something was missing.
Their offense.
The Lady Vikings went cold from the field and scored just 16 points in the second half as they fell to the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers 54-32 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Thursday.
Emily Johnson had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Vikings (4-2, 3-2) who were just 13-of-63 from the field for 21 percent and made only one of 18 3-point attempts.
“We couldn’t throw it in the ocean,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter.
Jenna Malone also had 10 rebounds and Taylor Sells six boards. Malone and Kylie Deer had four assists each with Deer getting three steals.
The duo of Cameron Delotell and Jensen Warnock combined for 43 points and 26 rebounds for Clay (5-2, 4-1).
Delotell had 22 points and nine rebounds with Warnock getting 21 points, 17 rebounds along with eight blocked shots.
Warnock had a 3-pointer and four points in the first quarter to help counter six points by Johnson as Clay took an 8-7lead.
Rachael Hayes hit a trey and scored five points in the second quarter as the Lady Vikings tied the game 16-all at the half.
Sophia Balestra and Warnock scored all of Clay’s points in the quarter.
Johnson had eight points in the third quarter but Malone’s two free throws were the only other points for the Lady Vikings who fell behind 33-26.
Delotell hit a 3-pointer and scored nine points while Warnock also had a triple and scored five more to give Clay the lead.
Symmes Valley could only manage six points in the fourth quarter while Clay exploded for 21 points.
Delotell with 11 points and Warnock with eight points — she hit a pair of 3-pointers — accounted for all but two points in the quarter.
Symmes Valley hosts Racine Southern on Saturday.
Ports. Clay 8 8 17 21 = 54
Sym. Valley 7 9 10 6 = 32
PORTSMOUTH CLAY (5-2, 4-1): Jaclyn Warnock 0 0 2-4 2, Sophia Balestra 3 0 2-3 8, Cameron DeLotell 5 2 6-6 22, Jensen Warnock 2 4 5-9 21, Skylar Artis 0 0 1-2 1, Kathryn Cochran 0 0 0-0 0, Hannah Pauley 0 0 0-0 0, Ashley Hurt 0 0 0-0 0, Tabby Whitt 0 0 0-0 0, Shaley Munion 0 0 0-0 0, Sophia Gatti 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 6 16-24 54. Rebounds: 45 (Je. Warnock 17, Delotell 9, Balestra 8). Assists: 16 (Artis 10). Steals: 10 (Balestra 4, Artis 3). Blocks: 12 (Je. Warnock 8).
SYMMES VALLEY (4-2, 3-2): Jenna Malone 1 0 2-2 4, Payton Hunter 0 0 0-0 0, Kylie Deer 1 0 2-4 4, Taylor Sells 1 0 0-0 2, Rachael Hayes 2 1 0-0 7, Kaylee Cade 0 0 0-0 0, Hailee Littlejohn 0 0 0-0 0, Emily Johnson 7 0 1-2 15. Totals: 13-63 5-8 32. 3-pt goals: 1-18. Rebounds: 9-O, 28-D = 37 (Johnson 10, Malone 10, Sells 6). Assists: 9 (Malone 4, Deer 4). Steals: 5 (Deer 3). Blocks: 2 (Sells, Malone). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.