Vikings swept in doubleheader with Spokane
MOSES LAKE - The Big Bend Community College basketball teams entered Saturday's division opener with high hopes.
After all, the Viking men and women were both ranked in the top eight of the Jan. 4 Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges poll.
Unfortunately, so were the visiting Spokane Sasquatch.
The Sasquatch women, ranked sixth in the same poll - one spot better than Big Bend - overcame a 10-point halftime deficit and rolled past the Lady Vikings 78-65. And the top-ranked Spokane men finished off the sweep of the East Division-opening twinbill, suffocating the No. 7 Vikings' offense in the first half en route to an 83-70 win.
The Lady Vikings (10-4 overall, 0-1 East) started out well, breezing to a 42-32 lead at halftime. Big Bend dominated on both ends of the court, shooting 58 percent from the field - including 3 of 8 on 3-pointers - and held Spokane to just 39 percent shooting.
But Big Bend's shooting touch went cold in the final 20 minutes. The Vikings made just seven of their 29 field goal attempts, and they finished the game with 23 turnovers to help Spokane score 46 of the last 69 points.
Sophomore co-captain Kim Bluff led the Vikings with 16 points, though she shot just 5 of 18 from the field. Dana Bates notched 15 points and six rebounds, and point guard Natalie Lindley added 13 points on 3 of 5 from long range.
Spokane's Ashlee Michelson had 16 points, with teammates Kellee Neal and Ren Mallory scoring 14 and 12, respectively. The Sasquatch won the rebounding battle 52-40 and outscored Big Bend 20-10 at the free-throw line.
In the nightcap, the Runnin' Vikes (11-3, 0-1) didn't start out positively at all. Their normally high-octane perimeter game was completely out of synch, hitting just 1 of 5 attempts. Meanwhile, Spokane shot 53 percent from the floor and took a commanding 40-25 lead into the break.
The Sasquatch continued their torrid shooting in the second half, burying 14 of 22 chances (64 percent). The Vikings finally got going from outside, hitting nine treys down the stretch, but it wasn't nearly enough to overcome a Spokane lead that grew to as much as 20 points.
Sophomore forward Brett Vriesman had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Big Bend. Cameron Mero and Will Winn each had 11 points, and Kolby Secrist chipped in 10. But leading scorer Daley Landon never got going and finished with just five points.
Spokane's Matthew Dorr led all scorers with 25 points, going a perfect 8 for 8 from the field and 3 for 3 from long range. Jordan Gregg had 20 points, Bo Gregg had 13 and Kyle Turpin had 10 for the Sasquatch.
Both teams return to East Division action on Wednesday night at Yakima Valley. The women, who tip off at 6 p.m., should be in for a tough test as the Yaks are 13-2 overall and ranked third in the NWAACC. Yakima Valley's men (12-3) are ranked second in the conference, though they lost their first division game on Saturday to unranked Wenatchee Valley. The men tip off at 8 p.m.