Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Oh brother!
Jack Leith and Luke Leith combined for 37 points and 28 rebounds as the Symmes Valley Vikings opened the season with a 56-44 win over the River Valley Raiders.
Jack Leith had 20 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots while brother Luke got 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Caden Brammer had five assists and Logan Walsh handed out four assists to go with a pair of steals.
Jordan Lambert scored 18 points and Brandon Call 14 to pace River Valley (2-1).
The game was close until the fourth quarter when the Vikings outscored the Raiders 19-6.
Symmes Valley led 14-13 after the first quarter as Jack Leith scored 4 points while Walsh and Brammer each hit a 3-pointer. Mason Rhodes had 5 points and Lambert and Call 4 each for the Raiders.
Jack Leith scored 8 points in the second quarter as the Vikings took a 27-24 halftime lead. Lambert had 5 points including a 3-pointer and Call added 4 points on a basket and two foul shots.
River Valley rallied to take a 38-37 lead in the third quarter as Lambert scored 7 points and Call 4. Luke Leith scored 6 points and Walsh had 4 points including a 3-pointer.
But the Leith brothers took over in the fourth quarter with Jack getting 8 and Luke 6. Drew Scherer had a triple and scored 5 of his 7 points as the Vikings held the Raiders to just three field goals.
Symmes Valley hosts New Boston on Friday.
River Valley 13 11 14 6 = 44
Sym. Valley 14 13 10 19 = 56
RIVER VALLEY (2-1): Dylan Fulks 1 0 0-0 2, Cole Young 0 0 1-2 1, Brandon Call 5 0 4-4 14, Chase Caldwell 1 0 0-0 2, Jordan Lambert 7 1 1-2 18, Mason Rhodes 2 1 0-0 7, Jordon Burns 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 2 6-8 44. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
SYMMES VALLEY (1-0): Caden Brammer 1-4 0-0 3, Luke Leith 8-15 1-2 17, Josh Ferguson 1-3 0-0 2, Jack Leith 10-19 0-0 20, Logan Walsh 2-14 1-2 7, Drew Scherer 3-8 0-0 7, Tobey Smathers 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 25-64 2-4 56. 3-pt goals: 4-15 (Brammer 1-3, Ferguson 0-1, Scherer 1-3, Walsh 2-8). Rebounds: 25-O, 16-D = 41 (L. Leith 16, J. Leith 12). Assists: 12 (Brammer 5, Walsh 4). Steals: 8 (J. Leith 2, Walsh 2). Blocks: 10 (J. Leith 7). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.