Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CROWN CITY— The Symmes Valley Vikings took a walk on the wide side and walked away with a thrilling win.
Playing before a packed gym, the Vikings got a 50-47 overtime win against the rival South Gallia Rebels on Saturday night.
“This was a really great basketball game. It’s a rivalry where both teams played as hard as they could,” said Vikings’ coach Chad Coffman.
“Our kids were able to step and make just enough players to get and exciting win. These kids grow up around each other, they know each other. It was a packed house and the fans were very loud. It was a fun game to be part of.”
Layken Gothard scored a career-high 27 points to go with 11 rebounds and six steals for the Vikings (8-7) who snapped the Rebels three-game winning streak.
Broke Carpenter had seven points and nine rebounds, Nick Klaiber seven points and five rebounds while Hunter Adams had six points and six rebounds in the win.
Eli Ellis scored 15 points and Curtis Haner 14 to lead the Rebels (4-10):
Symmes Valley took a 15-12 first quarter lead as Klaiber hit a 3-pointer and scored five points and Gothard had four more.
Braxton Hardy scored four points while Jared Burdette and Haner hit 3-pointers for the Rebels.
The Vikings pushed the lead to 30-24 at the half as Gothard scored nine points including 4-of-4 at the foul line. Adams had four points in the quarter.
Ellis scored nine points and Haner hit a 3-pointer to account for South Gallia’s total.
Symmes Valley struggled offensively in the third quarter and scored just eight points — six from Gothard who again went 4-for-4 at the foul line.
Austin Stapleton hit a 3-pointer and Haner had four points as the Rebels cut the deficit to 38-34.
South Gallia outscored the Vikings 11-7 in the fourth quarter to force the game into overtime. Stapleton and Ellis combined for nine of the 11 points in the quarter.
Gothard had four points and Carpenter had a three-point play for the Vikings’ offense.
In overtime, Gothard scored four of the Vikings’ five points with Austin Mannon added a foul shot.
Haner’s basket was the only scoring for the Rebels.
“When the game was on the line, I was proud of our guys. They were able to focus and come together to get the win,” said Coffman.
On Friday, the Vikings play at Sciotoville East.
In the reserve game, the Vikings (10-4) won 52-33. Luke Leith scored 23 points, Justin White nine and Drew Scherer eight.
Sym. Valley    15    15    8    7    5    =    50
South Gallia    12    12    10    11    2    =    47
SYMMES VALLEY (8-7): Derik Brace 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Scherer 0 0 0-0 0, Alec Carpenter 1 0 0-0 2, Nick Klaiber 2 1 0-4 7, Layken Gothard 8 1 8-8 27, Austin Mannon 0 0 1-2 1, Hunter Adams 3 0 0-2 6, Brock Carpenter 3 0 1-1 7. Totals: 17 2 10-17 60. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Klaiber.
SOUTH GALLIA (4-10): Braxton Hardy 3 0 1-2 7, Jared Burdette 0 1 0-0 3, Curtis Haner 3 2 2-2 14, Elli Ellis 7 0 1-3 15, Austin Stapleton 2 1 1-3 8, Bryce Nolan 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Day 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 4 5-10 47. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.