Divisional play next for Bigfork, Eureka
The big question in Bigfork this week has centered on the boys basketball team.
When was the last time the Vikings were regular season and district tournament champs in Class B?
“Everybody keeps asking me that,” Bigfork activities director Matt Porrovecchio said.
“Long enough ago that not that many people can remember.”
Not to be left out of the discussion are the Bigfork girls, who are also regular-season and district champs.
Which poses another question.
When was the last time both programs did that?
“I don’t think that’s ever happened,” Porrovecchio said of being regular season and district tournament champs.
Well, the Vikings and Valkyries will be looking to add another title to their growing list of achievements this season at the Western B divisional in Pablo.
The girls (18-2) are ranked No. 8 and open play Thursday with Valley Christian, 11 a.m.
The boys (17-3) are ranked No. 5 and kick things off today against Valley Christian at 6 p.m.
The boys tournament runs Wednesday through Friday, with the girls on the court Thursday through Saturday.
The top two teams advance to the state tournament.
“Seems like we have little bit of (tournament) fever around here,” Bigfork girls coach Mark Hansen said of all the buzz in the school hallways this week.
“A few people popped into practice today, checking things out.”
Bigfork and Valley Christian did not meet during the regular season, but Hansen had a chance to see Valley Christian play last week. He came away impressed.
“They have a lot of size,” he said.
“They are a great rebounding team. They probably will match up with us as well as anyone this season.”
Hansen said his Valkyries are playing smart basketball at the most crucial time of the season.
“I was proud of the way the girls played in the championship game,” he said.
“We talked about taking what they give you and they seemed to do a good job with that.”
Several players did just that and had big scoring quarters.
But the thing that separates Bigfork from the rest of the competition is balance.
“We have a lot of weapons,” he said.
Mallery Knoll leads the Valkyries in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game. However, Caitlin Charlebois , Quinci Paine, Taylor Peck and Kailey Fierro are next, all averaging right around nine points.
“They’ve all had big games, off and on,” Hansen said.
“Quinci has had a couple double-doubles. She’s leading us in rebounds with seven (per game).”
Eureka, which fell to Bigfork in the girls champion game of the district tournament last Saturday in Libby, plays Deer Lodge on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
The Lions (11-9) and Deer Lodge have not met this season.
Those two teams did face off for the first time last year in the Western B divisional opener with Eureka prevailing 47-39.
“They graduated some kids, we graduated some kids,” Eureka coach John Hammond.
“I talked to some folks and got a scouting report. We have a game plan going in; we’ll see how it turns out.”
Hammond said Eureka’s last two outings really took the team on a wild ride.
“It was such an emotional roller coaster,” he said.
“Getting Thompson Falls on a last second shot Friday night, and getting beat the way we did on Saturday (by Bigfork 71-34), that’s about as has high as you can get on Friday, as low as you can get on Saturday.”
He said the players preferred to look back at the win over Thompson Falls.
“Bigfork is the real deal,” he said.
“They have some very good players, shoot the ball well, run the floor well. They have an inside game. They are a tough team. We’re not making an excuses (about our effort).”