Willapa Valley clubbed Northwest Christian 77-35 at Tenoski Gym in Menlo Friday night. Jason Fluke pumped in a game-high 20 points and Walker Oblad was down for 15 points for the Vikings.
Willapa threw up 71 shots, and connected on 25 for 35%. The Vikes were only 15 of 28 at the foul stripe. Christian shot 28% on 15 of 53. The Navigators attempted 5 free throws and made two of them.
Brendyn Graves soared on the boards with 16; he also scored 9 points. Hunter Gray netted 12 points, pulled down 9 rebounds and stole the ball 4 times. Fluke also had 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 assists and was 4 of 7 from treyland, where the Vikes were 11 of 22.
Valley outscored the Navs 22-10 in the first quarter, 17-9 in the second stanza, 16-11 in the third panel and 22-5 in the final eight minutes.
The Vikings improved to 3-10 overall and 2-2 in the Pacific League.
South Bend 55,
Valley 47
Hometown South Bend toppled Willapa Valley 55-47 last Tuesday (Jan. 12) at Koplitz Field House.
The Indians led 16-11 after one quarter stop, 28-26 at halftime, 40-37 after three quarters, and then outscored the Vikes 15-10 in the fourth quarter.
Fluke popped in 14 points and Graves (2 blocks) put down 13 and collected 13 rebounds. Matt Minton was a force on the boards with a whopping 22 rebounds.
Valley was 12 of 19 at the foul line but was only 22 percent from the field on 15 of 69.
Willapa Valley entertains Raymond Thursday with Life Christian Academy coming to Menlo Friday. The Vikes travel to Westport Tuesday to take on the Wildcats of Ocosta.
Rainier 59,
Vikes 38
Rainier walloped Willapa 59-38 January 9 on the Mountaineers' hardwood.
"It was a frustrating game for us tonight because really we did everything right to win the game except put the ball into the basket," Coach Pearson told the Herald. "We out rebounded them, took 10 more shoots from the floor, went to the free throw line 31 times (only made 13), and limited our turnovers to 18.
"Again, shooting the ball remains our Achilles heal as we only shot 24 percent from the floor and 42 percent from the free throw line," Pearson said. "We didn't have one player for us tonight in double digits.
"Defensively, I thought we played well enough to win as we held Rainier to 46 points before we had to start fouling to stop the clock," Pearson said. "I feel for our kids, because for the most part they are doing everything we ask of them and doing enough to win games with the exception of the ball not going in the basket for them. I know it will get better. We must keep shooting the ball when we are open.
"Ryon Ashley was a bright for us tonight as he played his one varsity quarter in the third and came away with six points and eight rebounds," Pearson noted.
Trevor Cook had 7 rebounds and Fluke came away with 5 steals.
Hyaks 80, Vikes 44
North Beach came to Tenoski Gym and blew away the Vikings 80-44 January 7.
"A much closer game for the most part than the score indicates as we did a lot of right things right for 2½ quarters," Coach Pearson told the Herald. "We cut North Beach's lead to eight with 3:50 left in the third quarter. North Beach took a time out, ramped up the pressure and that's when things kind of fell apart for us.
"North Beach is a quick and athletic team that can score a lot of points in a hurry," Pearson said. "We let our guard down and didn't align properly in the last two minutes of the second quarter and the last four minutes in the third, they made us pay for it in a big way.
"Hunter Gray played extremely well for us tonight, attacking the basket and was the only player for us tonight in double figures with 19 (points)," Pearson noted.
"Jason Fluke and Trevor Cook were our leading rebounders tonight with eight and 10 boards respectively," Pearson added..
"You are not going to win many games shooting 28 percent from the floor, 22 percent from the free throw line and not be able to score at least 10 points quarter," Pearson said. "We will have to shoot better. It is something that will get a lot of attention for the remainder of our season."
Vikings 54,
Indians 52
Valley nipped South Bend 54-42 January 4 at Menlo as three players scored in double figures for the winners.
"If there was a game of runs this was it," WVHS head coach Jay Pearson told the Herald. "Fortunately for us, we ended on the winning run tonight. Down 10 to 1 early in the first quarter, we battled back to a tie game at the end of one, went ahead by as many as 14 in the middle of of the second quarter before South Bend started their own run - cutting our lead to seven by the half. South Bend continued their run in the third and went up by as many as 12. Then, with 2:50 left in the game and down by eight, we started our final run. A key steal and score by Gray, followed by a big three-point ball from Oblad and two key free throws by Fluke provide enough to seal the come-fro- behind victory.
"Brendyn Graves, Jason Fluke and Walker Oblad all played key roles in our win tonight," Coach Pearson added. "Brendyn was unstoppable for us tonight inside with 12 points and 14 rebounds, a double double. Jay Fluke, with his two clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the deal, and ended his night with 15 points. Walker Oblad shot the lights our for us tonight by going over 50 percent from behind the 3-point line and ending his night with 15 points as well."