Runnin' Vikes with new faces, same style

Big Bend's Poth aiming for eighth straight NWAACC tournament berth

MOSES LAKE - Anyone who's followed the Big Bend Runnin' Vikes over the past two decades can attest to the program's ability to light up the scoreboard.

Don't expect anything different from the 2007-2008 Vikings, though the players wearing the blue-and-white uniforms are vastly different. Gone are stars like Derek Miller, Matt Brunell, Blake Solomon and Mark Moss. In fact, Big Bend's only returning lettermen are guard Daley Landon and forward Brett Vriesman.

"We're fairly inexperienced, basketball-wise," said head coach Mark Poth, who's entering his 21st season at Big Bend's helm. "A big key for us is blending together as a team."

At last season's Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges' championship tournament, the Vikings split four games and wound up eighth. It was the seventh straight year Big Bend had qualified for the NWAACC tournament, and Poth's demeanor on Wednesday indicated the team was prepared to shoot for No. 8, regardless of the personnel overhaul.

"We averaged 100 points per game for a lot of years here, but we can also play a quarter-court game if necessary," Poth said. "We might not score as many points this year, but the potential is there for a better defense and better rebounding team than usual."

Vriesman, a 6-foot-5 sophomore from Twin Falls, Idaho, played mainly off the bench last season. He figures to see a big jump in minutes, splitting time in the middle with 6-5 freshman Hugh Brown, a former star at Arbor View High School in Las Vegas.

Poth landed another Vegas product in 5-11 guard Will Winn of Desert Pines, who could be one of the Vikes' main ball handlers and 3-point producers. Landon, a Waterville High School graduate and Big Bend's other returning player, will also help Big Bend with its traditional specialty - hitting the trey.

"Landon is a very good shooter, perhaps one of the best shooters I've ever seen in all my years of coaching here," Poth said. "We often shoot 30 threes per game - we like the lay-up and we love the 3-pointer."

Isaiah Hawkins, a 6-5 transfer from Idaho State University, is also an interesting prospect, providing size on boards and a sharp stroke beyond the arc. Cameron Mero, a Utah high school product who played one year of junior college ball in Oakland, Calif., should also figure into the mix.

Two Columbia Basin products - 6-6 Moses Lake graduate Kolby Secrist and 6-1 Othello graduate Caleb Tovar - are on the roster. Tovar is a walk-on, though he's not yet eligible to compete.

James York, a 5-11 guard, was a former Player of the Year in the Big Nine Conference at Richland. He has good foot speed and ball skills, but Poth said the team is waiting to decide whether or not to redshirt him.

Anthony Johnson, Nick Holman and Japanese transfer Nobu Katayanagi could be contributors at guard, with 6-7 Josh Schouman providing another presence at forward.

"We like to look first at the local kids we feel are capable of playing at the next level, and then we expand our search as much as we need to find the right players," Poth said of his recruiting philosophy.

The Vikings were a bit surprised by the departure of Brunell, who was eligible for another season at the junior college level. However, the sophomore-to-be enrolled at Eastern Washington in August to continue on with Solomon.

Heavy turnover is something Poth and all junior college coaches must work with, and the Vikings' results over the past two decades show they're doing something right when it comes to plugging in new players.

"We just passed the 400-win plateau," said Poth, who credits 14th-year assistant John Hohman for his work on defense and first-year assistant - and ex-Big Bend player - Craig Groth.

Poth sees Columbia Basin and Spokane as the Runnin' Vikes key foes in the NWAACC East Division. Spokane, in particular, has an experienced group returning and already knocked off Bellevue, one of the favorites for the conference title.

"Our execution will determine how successful we'll be," Poth explained. "We can be competitive in this league if we work hard and work together."