Vikes edged out by Loggers

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

Although the Bigfork Vikings remain winless this season, they proved to be just steps away from their first win last week. The Vikes, 0-8 in the Northwest A conference, lost to the Libby Loggers 50-47 and the Eureka Lions 55-45.

Bigfork led the Loggers in Libby at the end of both the first and second quarters. The Vikes led by two — 11-9 — at the end of the first and 24-21 at halftime.

“We did a nice job of competing at the end of quarters,” Bigfork coach Jim Epperly said. “We were executing and making adjustments.”

Bigfork faltered just a little in the third quarter, as the Loggers outscored the Vikes 13-7 to take the lead. Both teams scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, but Bigfork, led by Justin Goode’s 16 points, could not edge out the Loggers.

“We fouled Jim Mee with 10 seconds left,” Epperly said. Mee, who leads the Northwest A conference in free-throw percentage, made both free throws to put the Loggers ahead of the Vikes. Roland Benedict’s three-point shot, the Vikes’ last attempt to overcome the Loggers, rimmed out.

“We had silly turnovers in the second half that allowed them to creep back in,” Epperly said. Bigfork recorded 18 turnovers to Libby’s 11 in the game.

Two other Vikes scored in double figures Friday night. Andrew Whittaker added 11 and Benedict scored 10 points. Whittaker also had four assists and four steals for the Vikes. Keenan Evans was just shy of double figures with eight points. John White scored two for the Vikings.

Kainoa Lake did not make it into the scoring column, but according to Epperly he played awesome. Lake, who played the entire 32 minutes, grabbed seven rebounds and had six blocks. The Vikings out-rebounded the Loggers 24-22.

“It’s one of the few games we’ve out-rebounded the other team,” Epperly said. “It’s the best complete game we’ve played.”

The Vikes’ game against Eureka the next night looked just as promising for a win, as Bigfork trailed the Lions by two at the end of the first quarter and led 23-21 at halftime.

Goode started the Bigfork scoring in the first quarter, making both of his free throws with 4:40 on the clock. Brock Boll scored four of his 12 points to close out the first quarter.

Levi Dockstader tied the game at nine with his two free throws. The Lions regained the lead, but Benedict gave the Vikes a one-point lead with a three-pointer. Bigfork had a lot of looks at the basket and numerous rebounds after the Lions’ Mattie Longfield tied the game at 12 apiece, but none of the Vikes’ shots fell.

“We looked mentally fatigued,” Epperly said. “We made stupid mistakes.”

Back at the free-throw line, the Vikes tied the game again as Whittaker, who scored six points for the Vikings, made two free throws with just over four minutes left in the quarter. Boll put Bigfork ahead with a free throw and a three-pointer. Dockstader lengthened the Vikes’ lead to six with two free throws.

The Lions came back to within one point of Bigfork, but Boll scored again to maintain the Vikings’ lead as did John White. White’s free throw at the end of the second quarter made the score 23-21.

Bigfork went 2-for-6 from the free-throw line on Eureka’s three technical fouls, and failed to score on the ensuing inbound plays.

“We didn’t score on those possessions. We had the opportunity to jump out,” Epperly said. He said the Vikes also missed opportunities when the Lions were at the free-throw line.

“We weren’t blocking out on free throws,” Epperly said. “They’d make the first and miss the second, get the rebound and put it in for two. That resulted in three-point plays for them.”

Eureka out-rebounded the Vikings 38-28, including 18 offensive rebounds. The Vikes’ 23 turnovers also hindered their efforts.

The score remained close in the third quarter, with four lead changes and three ties. Whittaker scored for the Vikes, and Benedict assisted Kainoa Lake for two to regain the lead and go ahead 27-24. Dockstader tied the game again at 30 apiece, as he sank a three-point field goal. Goode assisted both Benedict and Dockstader, keeping the Vikes ahead of the Lions 34-32. Dockstader tallied nine points against the Lions, a career-high for him. The Lions ended the third quarter tying the game at 34-34.

Bigfork never led in the final quarter, as the Lions scored first to take the lead 37-34. The Vikes’ big man, Kainoa Lake, fouled out of the game with 5:04 remaining.

“It makes us pretty small,” Epperly said of Bigfork’s inside presence without Lake. Lake had six rebounds and four blocks against the Lions.

Whittaker kept the Vikes within one point of the Lions with a steal and field goal. He scored six on the night and had four assists. White made it a three-point game as he made one of two free throws to make the score 37-40. Eureka went on an 8-0 scoring run in the following two-and-a-half minutes. Benedict and Garrett Pewe brought the Vikes to within eight of the Lions. Benedict made both free throws on a one-and-one and Pewe sank the front end of his one-and-one.

“They didn’t control the game,” Epperly said of the Lions. “It was a dog fight.”

Eureka lengthened its lead back to 10 points before Benedict made a three-pointer. Boll, who finished the night with a career-high 12 points, kept the Lion lead at seven with field goal to make the score 45-52. Benedict fouled out of the game with 12 seconds left, while the Lions scored three more points to end the game with a 55-45 win. Benedict scored in double figures as well with 11 points, four assists and four steals.

Bigfork hosts Columbia Falls tonight, Jan. 25 at 4:15 p.m. The Wildcats come to Bigfork with a 5-1 conference record, having beaten the Vikes 65-40 in their last meeting.

“We need to handle their press,” Epperly said. “If we do that (and cut down on turnovers) we have an opportunity to beat them.”

Bigfork 47

Libby 50

BIGFORK - Justin Goode 16, Andrew Whittaker 11, Roland Benedict 10, Jon White 2, Keenan Evans 8.

LIBBY - Zach Rowan 2, Neil Young 2, Kyle Baker 15, Jim Mee 11, Joel Fuller 16, Charley May 2, Nick Broden 2.

Bigfork 45

Eureka 55

BIGFORK — John White 2, Kainoa Lake 2, Roland Benedict 11, Justin Goode 2, Andrew Whittaker 6, Levi Dockstader 9, Brock Boll 12, Garrett Pewe 1.

EUREKA — Clete DeShazer 8, Zach Richter 2, Mattie Longfield 3, Tony Boka 4, Devon Miller 2, John Davis 10, Spencer Sartori 13, Isiah Linnell 13.