Vikings keep momentum going with win

With victories against De Tour and Arenac Eastern the Vikings basketball team, which hasn?t lost since December 16, got into the meat of the schedule again this week. Posen (10-2 overall, 9-1 NSL) traveled to Hale for a make-up game and downed the North Star League challengers, 77-63. It?s the first of a handful of big ball games for the red and white, who travel to Fairview Friday. Other than Mio, Hale and Fairview are the two NSL teams Viking coach Ron Misiak believes could knock his team from its first place NSL tie with the Thunderbolts.

Atlanta shouldn?t be counted out either, especially the way the Huskies played at Posen the first week of January. Posen plays them on the road Tuesday.

AGAINST HOST Hale, junior Aaron Hincka and senior Ron Kroll had season highs. Hincka scored 29 points, while Kroll had 24. After a shaky five minutes in the first quarter, the offense was clicking on all cylinders. ?We probably played our best offensive game of the year,? said Misiak. ?We were pretty nervous that first quarter.?

Misiak said his players were turning the ball over but eventually settled in and started running the offense. The score at the end of the first quarter was 15-14 in favor of Hale. Posen came back and outscored the home team 22-9 in the second quarter. Junior Matt Ponik kept the Eagles? top player Brandon Thompson out of the flow of the game. He had only six points in the first half and was blanked when the Vikes went on their scoring run before halftime.

The Eagles couldn?t stop Hincka when he got the ball, even when they double- and triple-teamed him. Aaron would score the points or dish the ball out to an open player. ?Everything seem to run sweet and well,? said Misiak. Ponik finished the game with 18 points and eight rebounds. Hincka collected 13 boards.<

P> THE VIKINGS had a slow start in the first quarter against De Tour but had little trouble the rest of the way in the 76-55 win. The second quarter has been golden the last two games for the Vikes. Posen went on a 22-8 run before halftime against the host Raiders. Hincka had a team-high 19 rebounds to go with his 15 points, and was followed in the scoring column by Ponik (19 points) and Kroll (12). Friday at home, the Vikes crushed Arenac Eastern to earn a season sweep. Hincka scored 23 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in the 74-49 victory. Hincka also had his second career dunk, to the delight of the home crowd.

Three other Vikings were in double figures. Ponik had 13 and Russ Kamyszek 12, while James Sobek had 10. Junior varsity lost to Hale 59-38, but defeated Arenac Eastern (58-28) and De Tour (83-36). Their record slips to 6-5.