By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Owen Johnson didn’t hit a buzzer-beater. But he was close.

After winning two games this season with a buzzer-beater, Johnson hit a 3-pointer and a layup with 4.5 seconds left to lift the Coal Grove Hornets to a 57-56 win over Symmes Valley Vikings on Tuesday in the annual Waterloo Wonders Throwback game.

Ethan Smith hit both ends of a one-and-one with 15.7 seconds left to put the Vikings up 56-52.

Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer with 8.1 seconds left and then stole the ball on the inbounds play and made a layup with 4.5 seconds left to put the Hornets up 57-56.

The Vikings took a long 3-pointer at the buzzer the was off the mark.

Johnson finished with a game-high 39 points including six 3-pointers (2-5).

Symmes Valley (xx) got 15 points from Josh Saunders and Smith while Braden Corn had 14.

Johnson got the Hornets going in the first quarter with a pair of 3-pointers as he scored 11 points and Dryzen Mullens added a 3-pointer and it was 20-11.

Saunders scored 5 points for the Vikings.

Symmes Valley sliced a point off the deficit in the second quarter as Corn hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points, Jacob Cade had a couple baskets and Saunders knocked down a trey as the Hornets lead was 35-27 at the half.

Johnson had two more 3-pointers and scored 12 points including 4-of-4 at the line. Steven Simpson added a 3-pointer for the Hornets (3-4).

As hot as the Hornets were in the first half, they went just as cold in the third quarter with just a single basket by Johnson as the Vikings rallied to take a 42-37 lead.

Saunders was back at for the Vikings with a trifecta as he scored 7 points with Smith scored 6.

But the Hornets regrouped in the fourth quarter mainly due to Johnson who had another pair of trifectas, hit 4-of-4 at the line and scored 14 as Coal Grove outscored Symmes Valley 20-14.

Corn had another 3-pointer as he scored 5 points and Smith also had 5 points as he went 3-for-3 at the line.

Coal Grove 20 15 2 20 = 57

Sym. Valley 11 16 15 14 = 56

COAL GROVE (3-4): Gavin Gipson 1 0 0-0 2, Steven Simpson 0 1 0-0 3, John Turner 1 0 0-0 2, Landon Davis 0 0 0-1 0, Dryzen Mullens 2 1 0-0 7, Elijah Dillon 2 0 0-0 4, Owen Johnson 6 6 9-10 39, Karson Frecka 0 0 0-0 0, Caden Turner 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 8 9-11 57. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (2-5): Levi Ross 0 0 0-2 0, Braden Corn 4 2 0-0 14, Jacob Cade 3 0 0-1 6, Aydan Taylor 0 0 0-0 0, Aleck Beckett 3 0 0-0 6, Josh Saunders 3 2 3-3 15, Ethan Smith 5 0 5-6 15, Will Jones 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 4 8-1256. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.