Big Bend rallies to defeat WVC, 48-46

MOSES LAKE - The fifth best scoring offense in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) relied on its defense Saturday.

After trailing by 14 points early in the second half, Big Bend Community College (BBCC) clamped down defensively and held Wenatchee Valley to 24.3 percent shooting from the field, 5.9 percent from behind the three-point line and rallied to an improbable 48-46 win.

Big Bends sits tied for first in the NWAACC East region at 2-0 with a 12-4 overall record.

"We didn't think we'd hold them to 46," head coach Preston Wilks said. "We were kind of hoping to hold them to 55-60 points, but to really hold them to 46 we feel real good about that and really you have to say our defense won the game."

The Vikings were held to 31 points below their season average. It was the team's lowest scoring output since Dec. 18 when Big Bend defeated Olympic, 60-58. The Knights held Big Bend to a ghastly 14.7 percent shooting in the first half with no three-point field goals.

"Wenatchee's a great defensive team, they really are," Wilks said. "They've got the mentality of they want to get it done defensively and boy they got it done against us, they really did. We didn't get a lot of clean looks."

The Vikings' offense improved just enough in the second half to rally for the close win as the team was able to up its shooting to 30 percent and made five shots from behind the arc. Freshman guard/forward Riley Jemmett recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Elizabeth Larrew was the only other Viking in double figures with 10 points.

Big Bend will look to extend its winning steak Jan. 17 when the team travels to face Blue Mountain. The Timberwolves are ranked fourth in the current NWAACC coaches poll, but have suffered two straight losses since opening league play.

Runnin' Vikes blow out WVC

Sophomore guards Brendan Westendorf and Victor Aguero led the Runnin' Vike attack with 32 and 27 points, respectively.

BBCC cruised to a 111-81 win over the Knights. Big Bend has now won four in a row and sits atop the NWAACC East region at 2-0 and 13-3 overall.

The Runnin' Vikes shot a blistering 63.4 percent from the field en route to the blowout victory. Sophomore guard Kevin Walker and freshman forward Sean McDonnell combined for 32 points. Walker also added a game-high eight assists.

Big Bend travels to Blue Mountain Jan. 17 for an East region tilt.