BOYS BASKETBALL: Vikings grind down Loggers
<p>Bigfork's Adam Jordt shoots over Libby's Ryggs Johnston during the second quarter in Bigfork on Friday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Libby's Jonny Cielak goes up for a shot in a crowd of Bigfork defenders during the first quarter in Bigfork on Friday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
BIGFORK — Led by stifling defense, the Bigfork boys pulled away from Libby and held off a series of comebacks to preserve a 53-37 District 7B home basketball victory on Friday.
The visiting Loggers matched the size of the defending 7B champs, but had trouble with the physicality, as the Vikings began to build a lead in the first quarter.
Tied at 5-5 after freshman Ryggs Johnston hit a 3-pointer from the corner, Bigfork’s Jonathan Landon took the ball to the paint the next trip down the floor, backing in for an easy 5-footer to regain the lead.
That basket led a 16-4 run for the Vikings, fueled by 10 points in the paint, to gain a 21-9 lead midway through the second quarter. The only baskets from Libby in the stretch came from 6-foot-6 center Erik Lauer, who was the only answer for Bigfork’s post presence for most of the night.
“We hustled really hard out there,” Libby coach Josh Bean said.
Lauer’s offensive game, and his rebounding, kept the Loggers close. The big guy scoring five points in the final four minutes to lead a 11-4 run that cut the Bigfork lead to 25-20 at half.
However, Libby didn’t have enough elsewhere to keep pace with the Vikings, as Bigfork doubled its lead in the third quarter. The Loggers went without a field goal for six minutes and Bigfork pulled back out to a 44-28 lead.
Libby cut the lead back to nine points on a 3-pointer from senior Jonny Cielak but couldn’t get any closer.
The Vikings scored seven points in the last minute to run away with the final score.
Jonathan Landon and Adam Jordt each had 12 points to lead the Vikings and Joseph Potkonjak had 10 points.
Lauer had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Loggers.
“Defensively we played really good,” Bigfork coach Sam Tudor said.
“Offensively, we had some mental errors, but we’re still working on that.
“The Epperly kid really got us going (defensively),” Tudor said of freshman guard Anders Epperly.
“We kind of came out flat, it’s finals (week). It was kind of fun to watch the freshman go out there and get it started. The other guys followed.”
The Vikings outrebounded Libby 27-20, with 11 offensive rebounds creating second chances.
“We didn’t box out really well and they got a bunch of offensive rebounds,” Bean said.
“They’re a real skilled team and they do a real nice job of getting to the basket and getting rotations. We didn’t do a good job of rotating to it so they got a bunch of easy looks.”
The Bigfork frontcourt led the charge, combining for 27 points, with center George Gibson adding nine points and six rebounds.
“George has been so fun to watch this year,” Tudor said.
“When you have him and Jonny (Landon) and Garrett (Beville), those three are pretty formidable. Defensively I was really happy.”
Bigfork hits the road to play Eureka tonight before a home game against Whitefish on Tuesday.
Libby hosts Thompson Falls in a conference game today before nearly a week off ahead of a game against nearby rival Troy on Friday.
Libby 7 13 6 11 — 37
Bigfork 17 8 12 16 — 53
LIBBY—Jonny Cielak 7, Ryggs Johnston 5, Zander Petersen 2, Colin Maloney 6, Erik Lauer 17.
BIGFORK—Anders Epperly 2, Adam Jordt 12, Joseph Potkonjak 10, Jonathan Landon 12, George Gibson 9, Beau Santistevan 2, Garrett Beville 6.