Big Bend women defeat Yakima Valley

MOSES LAKE — Coming off a close win over Columbia Basin College on Saturday, Big Bend women’s basketball overcame a first-quarter deficit to defeat the visiting Yakima Valley Yaks 66-59 on Wednesday, improving to 4-1 in region games and 15-5 overall.

"This was a good win for us,” Head Coach Preston Wilks said in a release. “The Yakima club really has a lot of fight in them. They play hard and have some kids that can give you fits on defense, very hard to shut down. 

After Yakima Valley took an 18-14 lead through the first quarter, Big Bend held the Yaks to just nine points in the second quarter, taking a 31-27 lead into halftime.  

Big Bend outscored Yakima Valley by three in the second half, aided by a 21-point fourth quarter. Guard Oakley Homer led the Vikings with 17 points, connecting on five of 11 three-pointers in the win, while forward Oaklie Jackman finished the game with 16 points and 10 rebounds – her third straight game with a double-double. 

Big Bend out-rebounded Yakima Valley 43-39 in the win. 

“We wanted to win the rebound war tonight, which we did,” Wilks said in a release. “We were down at the half by four rebounds, but ended up being more aggressive in the second half and finished with a plus-four advantage on the boards for the entire game. That one stat alone was key to helping us secure this critical home region game. Our players are keeping a one-game-at-a-time mindset and are focusing only on our game on Saturday, and how we can improve in the next two days, hoping to get another critical road win in the East Region." 

The Vikings travel to Blue Mountain on Saturday at 2 p.m.