Big Bend comes from behind to defeat Yakima Valley in overtime

MOSES LAKE — Brandon Nielsen, supporting a black eye, gave the Runnin' Vikings every chance to defeat the Yakima Valley Yaks Saturday.

But nothing was bigger than a last second 3-pointer to tie the game at 88-88 and send it into overtime. From there, Nielsen scored 10 of Big Bend's 14 points in overtime to secure a 102-99 win over Yakima to even its record in the Eastern Region standings.

"He is a special player," Big Bend head coach Mark Poth said.

Nielsen's black eye was minor to the injuries facing the Runnin' Viking squad, Poth said. Adding that he has had to sit a few players in each game during the downhill slide which started at the College of the Canyons tournament in December and continued at Wenatchee Valley Wednesday.

Saturday night, the slide looked like it was going to get steeper with Antoine Walker and Jeff Coffman both fouling out late in the second half and still trailing the Yaks without a true post in the lineup.

"When you look at the matchups, we were small out there," Poth said, especially to start overtime with 6-foot-2 Kolby Rawlings squaring off against Yakima Valley's 6-foot-6 Jeremiah Runkle for the tipoff.

Donnie Harrison put the Yaks up to start the overtime period, but Nielsen, who finished with 53 points in the game, followed with a basket down in the post position.

Later in the period, Yakima Valley Community College followed a timeout with a basket from Cedale Doyle, but Nielsen answered with four straight points for the Runnin' Vikings first lead of the game with 34 seconds remaining in the game.

After a missed basket from Yakima Valley, Rawlings made two more free throws for Big Bend's largest lead at 99-95 with 16.8 seconds remaining in the game. Doyle scored a quick basket and after a Big Bend timeout, Chris Pendleton, who finished the game with 15 points, went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line and Nielsen hit two free-throws at the end of the period for the final 102 99 finish.

"In overtime, we told the guys we are right there and to hang in there," Poth said.

The game started out in Yakima Valley's favor.

The Yaks opened the game with a 26-17 lead over the Runnin' Vikings midway through the first half. Forrest Dorr and Tony Wilson each hit 3-pointers during the run to create the lead, but Big Bend's Jeff Coffman, who scored 14 points in the game, put up five straight points to cut the lead to 29-22.

Jason Williams scored four of his six points on the Yaks' next two possessions and the which sparked a 17-8 run to create the first double-digit lead for Yakima Valley.

Following the Yaks' run, Nielsen put up six straight points to keep the Runnin' Vikings close at 44-38 at halftime.

The Runnin' Vikings were able to cut Yakima Valley's lead to 78-77 with 3:57 left in regulation, but the Yaks' answered with a 6-1 run, but Nielsen answered with seven points of his own to end the half to tie the game at 88-88.

"It took us 40 minutes to finally match them," Poth said.

Big Bend 102, Yakima Valley 99

Big Bend (102) - Nielsen 53, C. Pendleton 15, Ko. Rawlings 5, Ke. Rawlings 1, Coffman 14, Walker 2, Mason 4, Maras 6 and Millican 2. Yakima Valley (99) - McNair 9, Dorr 11, Harrison 12, Runkle 11, Doyle 13, Lott 4, Perrault 6, Curfman 4, Wilson 10, Nelson 6 and Williams 6.