Vikings fight to the finish at divisional tourney

The Vikings basketball season came to a close over the weekend as Bigfork fell to Butte Central and Frenchtown at the Western A Divisional tournament in Butte.

Bigfork, which finishes its season with nine wins and 11 losses, found itself outmatched in the opening round as the Vikings took on a hot-shooting Butte Central Maroons team that would go on to finish second at the tournament after an overtime thriller against Hamilton in the final.

The Maroons scored the first 10 points of the contest and led 44-30 at the half.

The Vikings fought their way back into the game in the third quarter, closing the gap to 51-46 on Jack Jensen ‘s 10-foot bank shot at 1:35 of the third quarter, but it was not enough as the Maroons pulled away in the fourth.

Asher Knopik led the Bigfork effort with 16 points while Austin Savik scored 13 and Colin Wade had 10 points.

Jensen finished with eight points, Wyatt Johnson had four and Cole Knopik scored two.

Cole Knopik had 14 points and 13 rebounds while Asher Knopik added 11 points for the Vikings Friday, but Bigfork struggled to slow down Frenchtown big men Hank Smith and Eli Quinn, who combined for 36 points and 21 rebounds as the Broncs eliminated the Vikings, 52-35.

Both teams struggled to score in the opening quarter as Frenchtown grabbed a 10-5 advantage after eight minutes before going up 23-12 at the half. 

Savik had five points for the Vikings in the contest, 

Wade had three and Jensen added two points.

    The Bigfork boys basketball teams competes at the Western A tournament in Butte. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
  

    The Bigfork boys basketball teams competes at the Western A tournament in Butte. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
  

    The Bigfork boys basketball teams competes at the Western A tournament in Butte. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)