Bigfork boys blow by Plains
<p>Bigfork junior wing Josh Sandry (15) goes up for a shot while being fouled by Plains junior post Aaron Baker (right) Thursday night during a District 7B tournament semifinal game in Bigfork. </p>
BIGFORK — The No. 1 Bigfork boys (19-0) broke out of an early shooting slump and ran away with a 69-22 victory over Plains (4-16) in the District 7B basketball tournament semifinals on Thursday night.
The Vikings struggled on layups and shots close to the rim for the better part of the first half, missing 10 in the first two quarters. The miscues kept what was a lopsided game in possession time close on the scoreboard until Bigfork found its rhythm midway through the second quarter.
Shortly after the Vikings missed four shots up close on two possessions, junior forward Josh Sandry pulled in his own missed layup and scored on a putback while getting fouled, to the relief of his head coach.
“We did everything right in the first half,” Bigfork coach Josh Downey said. “We had 37 shot attempts to their 13, three turnovers to their 15. Shots just weren’t falling.”
The putback put the juice back in the crowd and some life into the Bigfork team, extending a 7-0 run that eventually turned into a 16-4 close to the first half.
“You miss bunnies, how do you coach that? You don’t,” Downey said. “I just tried to give them a little confidence. I told them if they feel like they’re open in the second half to let it fly. They did and it went in.”
The lead snowballed in the third quarter as Bigfork started to hit its shots. Plains hit three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the third quarter but couldn’t slow down the more-talented Vikings.
Isaac Martel answered back-to-back shots from deep by the Horsemen with three of his own. On the next trip down the court, Martel picked off a Plains pass and fed Sandry for an easy bucket, keying a 12-0 run that blew the contest out of contention.
Leading 44-22, Bigfork senior Wyatt Fisher closed the quarter with a 3 from the left corner, allowing the Vikings to put in the second string for the entire fourth quarter. The backups didn’t lay off the gas, however, extending the lead by 22 points while holding Plains scoreless in the final period.
“I’m really proud of the entire program,” Downey said. “They were pushing the ball, they were executing, they were rebounding, I was pleased.”
Martel led the Vikings with 12 points and both Christian Evans and Adam Jordt had 11. Evans also had a game-high eight rebounds.
Ryan Ovitt had 12 points to lead Plains.
Bigfork advances to play Eureka (10-9) in the conference championship game on Saturday in Libby. The Lions edged Troy 46-43 on Thursday.
Plains 5 6 11 0 — 22
Bigfork 7 16 24 22 — 69
PLAINS — Aaron Baker 3, James Rulison 3, Kyle Revier 4, Ryan Ovitt 12.
BIGFORK — Koby Boese 4, Adam Jordt 11, Cameron Nissen 2, Christian Evans 11, Isaac Martel 12, Jon Landon 4, Josh Sandry 8, Kyle Thomson 5, Ryder Trent 6, Wyatt Fisher 6.