Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Ernest Hemingway was a great author and fisherman, so he could write a great story about the one that got away.
If Hemingway was still alive, the Symmes Valley Vikings would have the true story of the one that got away.
The Vikings led by seven points heading into the fourth quarter only to watch the Portsmouth Clay Panthers wiggle off the hook and rally for a 63-58 Southern Ohio Conference win on Friday.
“It wasn’t our night,” lamented Vikings’ head coach Chad Coffman.
The Vikings took an 18-9 first quarter lead as Trenton Turner hit a 3-pointer and scored seven points while Drew Scherer had five points including a triple.
Clay (4-5, 2-3) began to nibble at the lead in the second quarter as Hunter Mathias and Clay Cottle combined for 11 points to cut the deficit to 29-26 at the half.
Turner hit another trey and both he and Scherer scored five points in the quarter.
Symmes Valley came back in the third quarter to go up 47-40 as Jack Leith scored six points while Turner had five points and Scherer hit a trifecta and two foul shots.
Mathias had a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points of Clay’s 14 points.
But Clay started rocking the boat in the fourth quarter. Garret Beegan scored 12 points including 7-of-8 at the foul line and Mathias had seven point as he went 3-of-5 at the line.
The Panthers made 11-of-13 free throws in the quarter as they outscored the Vikings 23-11.
Turner had a career-high 20 points to lead the Vikings (2-6, 2-3). Scherer scored 17 points while Leith had 12 points before fouling out.
Mathias scored a game-high 21 points for Clay with Beegan added 14.
Symmes Valley hosted South Webster on Saturday and entertains South Gallia next Friday.
Ports, Clay 9 17 14 23 = 63
Sym. Valley 18 11 18 11 = 58
PORTSMOUTH CLAY (4-5, 2-3): Clay Cottle 1 1 0-0 5, Shaden Malone 1 0 1-2 3, Mason Newton Hunter Mathias 2 3 11-16 21, Reece Whitley 2 0 2-2 6, Evan Woods 0 1 0-0 3, Garret Beegan 2 1 7-8 14, Chase Hudson 1 0 0-0 2 Bryce Toomire 2 0 0-2 4, Gage Moore 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 6 221-30 63. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.
SYMMES VALLEY (2-6, 2-3): Jacob Sites 0 0 0-0 0, Luke Leith 2 0 0-0 4, Logan Justice 0 0 0-0 0, Jack Leith 5 0 2-3 12, Caden Brammer 0 0 1-2 1, Drew Scherer 3 2 5-10 17, Alec Carpenter 1 0 0-0 2, Josh Ferguson 1 0 0-2 2, Trenton Turner 5 3 1-3 20, Toby Smathers 0 0 0-2 0. Totals: 17 5 9-22 58. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: J. Leith).