Bigfork Vikings basketball off to 4-0 start

By CALEB M. SOPTELEAN

Bigfork Eagle

Bigfork High’s boys basketball team continued its winning ways last week with district 7B conference victories over Eureka and Plains.

Coach Josh Downey said the team is focusing on holding onto leads and not getting complacent.

Thursday at home against Eureka, the Vikings led 19-4 after one period but the Lions came back to outscore Bigfork in the second 16-15 to make it 34-20 at halftime. The Lions continued their surge in the third period, winning that frame 19-13 to make it 47-39 heading into the fourth period.

However Bigfork kicked into high gear and pulled away, winning the final frame 22-9 to account for the final of 69-48.

“The game was a lot closer than the final score,” coach Josh Downey said. “We struggled with turnovers. We hadn’t seen a press all year. We were not being very solid with our passes. We got comfortable with a lead.”

After the game Downey said he asked senior forward Christian Evans, “What’s wrong with you this game?” Evans replied, “My legs feel like ello,” Downey said. When he looked at the statistics and saw that Evans had 30 points, he apologized. “Maybe his legs should feel like jello more often,” Downey joked.

Evans also led the team in rebounding, 13, steals, four; and blocks, three.

Josh Sandry contributed with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Isaac Martel and Jonathan Landon each scored nine points.

Bigfork converted 29 of 66 shots from the field (44 percent) and made 10 of 16 from the line (63 percent). They limited Eureka to 13 of 45 shooting (29 percent).

Saturday at Plains, Bigfork won every quarter but the second in recording a 67-37 win.

The Vikes led 17-8 after one and 31-23 at the half.

“It took a good halftime talk to get going again,” Downey said. The Vikes came out and won the third and fourth periods, 21-4 and 15-10.

Evans led once again with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Senior forward Cameron Nissen had a fine all-around game with nine points, seven rebounds, four blocks and four steals.

Martel contributed with nine points, six assists and three steals, while Landon and Sandry added 12 and eight points, respectively.

Bigfork made 30 of 54 shots (56 percent) while limiting the Horsemen to 13 of 41 (32 percent).

The Vikings travel to Whitefish Jan. 2 and St. Ignatius Jan. 4.