Vikes fall in OT
By FAITH MOLDAN - Bigfork Eagle
The Bigfork High School boys’ basketball team may feel like it’s experiencing deja vu lately.
The Vikes, who have come close to their first win numerous times this season, lost their last regular-season game 61-66 in overtime against the Frenchtown Broncs Feb. 15. Bigfork, now 0-18, head into the Northwest A Divisional Tournament as the number seven seed.
Bigfork stuck with the Broncs, who are ranked fourth in Class A boys’ basketball, in the first quarter. Both teams tallied 16 points in the quarter. Frenchtown edged out the Vikings by one point in the second quarter — 14-13 — to give the Broncs the 30-29 advantage at halftime. The Vikes’ John White completed a four-point play in the first half, as he was fouled on a three-point basket and made the following free throw. He grabbed five rebounds for the Vikings, and scored 10 points.
Rebounding well, and keeping their turnovers down, the Vikes tied the game, which Bigfork coach Jim Epperly said had a tournament-like atmosphere, at 40 apiece at the end of the third quarter. Frenchtown out-rebounded Bigfork 27-26 and committed three fewer turnovers — 19-22. Also aiding the Vikes was junior guard Andrew Whittaker. He dished out a career-high six assists in the game.
“He played a really good floor game,” Epperly said of Whittaker.
Levi Dockstader also finished the game with a career high. He scored 15 points for the Vikes, who found themselves in foul trouble in the fourth quarter. Dockstader, Roland Benedict and Justin Goode — all guards — fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Goode recorded 16 points in the game and also had five rebounds.
Bigfork fell behind the Broncs 48-54 with 1:38 remaining in the game. The Vikes pulled within one point of Frenchtown with seconds remaining on the clock. Senior Kainoa Lake made one of two free throws to force the game into overtime. He ended the game with five rebounds and four points.
The Vikes found themselves down another guard in overtime. Whittaker fouled out in the extra period, leaving the Vikes with their two seniors — White and Lake — two sophomores and a freshman — Dustin Haines, Garrett Pewe and Keenan Evans — on the floor.
“He stepped up when they fouled out,” Epperly said of Pewe. “He had a big three in overtime.”
Pewe scored seven points for Bigfork, Whittaker two and Benedict seven.
“They just played their butts off,” Epperly added of all the Vikes.
“We just wanted to keep the game going for those guys that had fouled out,” Haines said.
Bigfork led the Broncs 61-58 with 1:30 on the clock in overtime, when Haines was called for an intentional foul. Frenchtown made both free throws and scored on its inbound-play as well to take the lead. The Broncs maintained the lead the remainder of the game, outscoring Bigfork 10-5 in overtime.
“They didn’t give up,” Epperly said of the Vikes’ efforts. “They were still fighting. That shows a lot of character.”
The close loss is something Haines said the Vikes can build off of for divisionals.
“We definitely have a chance,” he said of Bigfork’s first-round game against the fifth-ranked Eureka Lions. “We played right with Frenchtown (No. 4 in Class A). We can play with any team in our division.”
“They’re a good team,” Epperly said of the Lions, who beat the Vikes 62-40 and 55-45 in the regular season. “We’ve played a lot of people tough. We’re not scared or intimidated.”
Bigfork’s game against the Eureka Lions is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. tonight, Feb. 22, at Whitefish High School.
Bigfork 16 13 11 16 5 - 61
Frenchtown 16 14 10 16 10 - 66
BIGFORK - Justin Goode 16, Garrett Pewe 7, Andrew Whittaker 2, Roland Benedict 7, John White 10, Levi Dockstader 15, Kainoa Lake 4.
FRENCHTOWN - Nathan Lebsock 22, David Velasquez 2, Matt Block 2, Nate Davis 5, Kyle Larson 10, Logan Mether 11, Caleb DeGroot 14.