Big Bend stays undefeated in region with rout of WVC
Big Bend's Keshawn Liggins rises for a dunk against Wenatchee Valley Wednesday at DeVries Activity Center.
MOSES LAKE — Recently, the “small ball” strategy has become en vogue all the way up to the NBA.
But at the community college level not many teams are executing it as well as Big Bend. Employing a four-guard lineup with 6-foot-7 Mogga Lado manning the middle, the Runnin’ Vikes score the second most points in the entire NWAC.
Big Bend’s average of 96.3 points per game will bump up slightly after an 101-74 rout of Wenatchee Valley. The win improves the fourth-ranked Vikes to 6-0 in region play and extends their win streak to seven games.
Big Bend jumped ahead of Wenatchee Valley early and led by double digits, 17-6, after a baseline jumper by Wyatt Johnson nestled into the basket.
Big Bend led by as much as 14 points in the first half before Wenatchee Valley went on a 6-0 run to draw within eight points. That threat was neutralized on the next trip down when Ryker Pierce canned a three-pointer, moving the Runnin’ Vikes back ahead by 11. Pierce, who is the ninth-ranked scorer in the NWAC, turned in 14 points.
Pierce was one of five Vikes to reach double digits. Jai Jai Ely scored a team-high 20 points, Lado added 19, AJ Miles hit for 12 and Keshawn Liggins chipped in 10.
That balance helped Big Bend stretch its lead to 16 at halftime, 50-34.
In the second half, the three-ball began falling for the home team. Miles had a sequence of three makes from distance that pushed the Runnin’ Vikes ahead by 20.
Big Bend will have its biggest test of the season Saturday on the road against top-ranked Spokane.
Big Bend women struggle against WVC
MOSES LAKE — Big Bend struggled against the top defensive team in the East region, losing 64-42.
No Viking reached double figures in scoring and the team shot just 8.33 percent from the three-point line.
“They really get aggressive on defense,” head coach Preston Wilks said. “They’re real strong. You can tell they’ve been lifting weights. Our shooting, I would say, was more them than it was us. I mean, hats off to them. That’s a good defensive team.”
The Vikings countered the Knights’ good defense in the first quarter and trailed just 9-4 after the first 10 minutes. However, the league leaders began to get going in the second quarter and outscored Big Bend 22-13.
The trend continued as Big Bend was outscored 33-25 in the second half.
Max Shelley and Reinee Rockett scored seven points each. Rockett added a team-high 10 rebounds
Big Bend will try to get back into the playoff race Saturday at Spokane.
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