By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Smith is the most common surname in the United States, but there’s nothing common about this Smith.

Symmes Valley guard Ethan Smith scored a game-high 23 points, had 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals as the Vikings beat the Sciotoville East Tartans 51-44 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Tuesday.

The Vikings finished the regular season 9-13 and 6-8 in the SOC. East ends 8-14 and 3-11.

Jaylon Mayhew hit a 3-pointer and scored 9 points while Kaiden Huston drained a pair of 3-pointers as East took a 16-12 first quarter lead.

Smith scored 10 of the Vikings’ 12 points in the quarter.

But Smith hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points and four other players had 2 points each in the second quarter as the Vikings rallied to take a 27-24 lead at the half.

The Vikings extended the lead to 41-32 in the third quarter as Will Jones and Smith had 4 points each and Logan Simpkins hit a 3-pointer.

Landhen Pernell hit a pair of baskets for East.

The Tartans outscored Symmes Valley 12-10 in the fourth quarter but it was too little, too late.

Austin Baughman scored 5 points, Pernell scored 3 points while Huston and Mayhew each added basket.

Braden Corn hit a 3-pointer and had 5 points but the Vikings had to keep battling because they only made 3-of-8 from the foul line in the quarter.

Corn finished with 9 points, Simpkins had 5 rebounds, Jones 6 points with 2 assists and Levi Ross had 3 steals and 2 assists.

Mayhew scored 11 points and Huston 10 to pace East.

Sciotoville 16 8 8 12 = 44

Sym. Valley 12 15 14 10 = 51

SCIOTOTVILLE EAST (8-14, 3-11): Austin Baughman 3 0 3-5 9, Kaiden Huston 2 2 0-0 10, Jaylon Mayhew 4 1 0-0 11, Keagan Jackson 2 0 0-2 4, Cameron Justice 1 0 0-0 2, Landhen Pernell 3 0 2-4 8, Ethan Rase 0 0 0-0 0, Dylan Fitzgerald 0 0 0-0 0. Totals 18-47 5-11 44. 3-pt goals: 4-10. Assists: 9. Rebounds: 4-O, 18-D = 22. Assists: 11. Steals: 0. Blocks: 4. Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (9-13, 6-8): Braden Corn 3 1 0-0 9, Jacob Cade 1 0 0-0 2, Logan Simpkins 0 1 0-1 3, Ethan Smith 9 1 2-4 23, Aleck Beckett 0 0 2-4 2, Levi Ross 0 0 1-3 1, Josh Saunders 0 0 3-4 3, Will Jones 2 0 2-2 6, Aydan Taylor 1 0 0-0 2, Aiden Hieronimus 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-59 10-18 51. 3-pt goals: 3-9. Rebounds: 18-O, 20-D – 38 (Smith 13, Simpkins 5). Assists: 9 (Smith 4, Jones 2, Ross 2). Steals: 8 (Smith 3, Ross 3). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.