Vikings headed to Bellevue

MOSES LAKE — It’s time to start showing where the Big Bend Vikings men’s basketball stacks up in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC).

Tomorrow they will embark to Bellevue College for the three-day Men’s NWAACC Basketball Crossover Tournament, one of four going on this weekend featuring all conference teams.

“It should be an outstanding tournament with two teams participating from each of the four regions,” Big Bend coach Mark Poth said. “We have had a great week of practice and this tournament should give us an idea of where we are as a team as we go into Christmas break and get geared up for Eastern Region play.”

A team from each of the four NWAACC regions hosts an eight-team field this weekend and the Vikings will represent the East along with Wenatchee Valley Community College.

Big Bend (4-1) open up tomorrow at 5 p.m. against Lane Community College (2-5).

The winner advances to a Saturday semifinal date against the winner of Green River Community College (1-2) and the hosts Bellevue (4-1).

It could mean an early final for the tournament since Bellevue (No. 6) and Big Bend (No. 8) are the only ranked NWAACC teams at this particular site.

The losers of tomorrow’s games will move left in the bracket and enter consolation play.

Poth is leery of the challenge Lane presents.

“They have a solid team and are coming in with a two game winning streak,” Poth said.  “Lane has good balance between their inside and outside play. For us to be successful we will need a consistent effort on both sides of the court.”

The Vikings are sparked by the play of Jeff Ranstrom who is in the NWAACC top 15 in both scoring (18 points-per-game) and rebounding (8.5 per-game).

Brandon Brooke is also in top 20 of rebounding averaging 7.4 a game and Alan Marsh is sixth in steals (3.0 per game).

These three will be expected to step up their games on both ends of the floor along with the rest of the Vikings’ roster.

“We need to be consistent on the defensive end of the court and reduce our turnovers on the offensive end,” Poth said. “We have been an excellent rebounding team and we hope to carry that over this weekend.”

The final of the tournament is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday.

There will be a third/fifth place game at 1 p.m. that day and a consolation (4th-place) final at 11 a.m.

The two teams that drop their first two games will not play on Sunday.

“With eight solid teams participating we will need to play our best basketball of the season to come out on top,” Poth said. “We feel we have the ability to compete against anyone.  Offensive and Defensive execution will determine our success.”