Vikings get first league win
Big Bend guard Michael Hattar (23) goes up for a lay in during the first half of the Vikings' triple overtime loss to Yakima Valley Jan. 14. Photo by Derrick Pacheco/Columbia Basin Herald
WENTACHEE, Wash. — The Big Bend men’s basketball team capitalized on four double-digit scorers Saturday night as the Vikings knocked off the Wenatchee Valley Knights 71-67 for their first league victory of the season.
The Vikings improved to 1-2 in Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges East Division play and 9-7 overall.
Big Bend head coach Mark Poth said his team was prepared going into the game with Wenatchee Valley.
“We had two really close games to start off (league play),” he said. “It is tough to win up there (in Wenatchee) but we felt good.”
Big Bend forward Jeff Coffman led the Vikings on offense Saturday with 19 points.
Coffman also fell two rebounds shy of a double-double when he grabbed eight boards in the win.
The Vikings’ smothering defense forced 18 Wenatchee Valley turnovers which Big Bend would convert into 22 points to help the Vikings sail to the road victory.
Although his team came away with the victory, Poth said his team needs to take care of the basketball.
“I thought we played hard,” he said. “(But) they hurt us with turnovers and rebounding.”
Big Bend ran out to a 35-28 halftime lead and held on down the stretch for the four-point victory.
Cody Groth led the Vikings behind the 3-point line, scoring 12 of his 14 points behind the arc. Groth finished the night 4-for-5 behind the 3-point line.
Michael Hattar and Jeff Ranstrom each added 11 points for Big Bend and Hattar led the Vikings with four assists.
The Vikings return to the court Friday night when they host Treasure Valley.
Poth and his Vikings are ready.
“It’s a big weekend for us,” he said. “You need to win at home.”
Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. in the DeVries Activity Center on the Big Bend campus.