Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

MERCERVILLE — There’s an older movie starring Robert De Niro called “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.”

The movie could have been the title of Symmes Valley’s performance Tuesday night, except the movie was a comedy and there was nothing funny about it to the Vikings who lost 66-45 to the South Gallia Rebels.

The Vikings (1-1) were a meager 16-of-56 from the field for 28 percent and they were 7-of-24 from behind the arc as they missed their first seven 3-point attempts.

“We couldn’t buy a basket. I don’t what it was,” said Vikings’ coach Donnie Saunders. “We played hard and we played pretty well. We just couldn’t hit any shots.”

South Gallia didn’t shoot well in the first half which kept the game close.

The Rebels were 6-of-25 from the floor and 1-of-7 from 3-point range. They were 20-of-35 from the field in the second half.

The Rebels never trailed and their biggest lead in the first half was 9-2.

The Vikings trailed 17-15 at the half and were down just 19-18 on a basket by Collin Webb with 6:20 left in the third quarter.

But the Rebels went on a 21-6 run to finish the quarter and the lead was 40-24.

South Gallia had a double-digit lead over the final 11:03 of the game and held its biggest lead at 64-38 with 1:28 to play.

Webb had 11 points and Jarod Sheppard grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Vikings.

Joseph Ehman scored 24 points including four 3-pointers to pace the Rebels. Kane Hutchinson added 14 points and Landon Hutchinson 12.

The Vikings host defending Southern Ohio Conference champion Portsmouth Clay on Friday.

Sym. Valley 7 8 9 21 = 45

South Gallia 11 6 23 26 = 66

SYMMES VALLEY (1-1): Levi Cade 0 0 1-2 1, Chayden Renfroe 0 0 3-5 3, Collin Webb 4 1 0-1 11, Shawn Belville 2 0 1-2 5, Payton Hayes 1 2 1-8 9, Derrick Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Jase Patterson 0 1 0-2 3, Eric Baldwin 0 2 0-0 6, Forrest Humphrey 2 0 0-0 4, Jarod Sheppard 1 0 1-4 3. Totals: 16-56 7-24 45. 3-point goals: 6-24. Rebounds: 38 (Sheppard 14). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.

SOUTH GALLIA (2-0): Landon Hutchinson 6 0 0-0 12, Austin Triplett 1 0 1-2 3, Corey Rhodes 0 0 0-0 0, Curtis Haner 1 0 0-0 2, Kane Hutchinson 6 0 2-3 14, Joseph Ehman 4 4 4-4 24, Colton Coughenour 0 0 0-0 0, Darren Drenner 1 0 1-3 3, Caleb Henry 1 0 0-1 2, Josh Henry 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Stapleton 0 0 0-0 0, Dominick Johnson 2 0 2-4 6, Colton Bowers 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 26-59 10-15 66. 3-point goals: 4-17. Rebounds: 33 (L. Huthinson 7). Turnovers: 9.