Vikings bounce back after streak ends

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

Four days after the Vikings boys’ basketball team suffered its most disappointing loss of the season to Hale, they bounced back with an easy win against a weak Atlanta team, 78-34. “We did a nice job of coming back,” said head coach Steve Hentkowski.

Jordan Hincka had a game-high 27 points, while Nick LaTulip put in 22. They got their usual totals and sat out the fourth quarter, so other players could get some playing time. Nick Idalski had 10 in the contest. The Vikings (11-5, 9-2) were coming off a numbing one-point loss to Hale on homecoming night. The disappointment of having a season-long seven game winning streak come to an end against Hale was less about the margin, 71-70, and more about more about the path of the game, as the Vikes led 31-13 to close out the first quarter. They were on pace to scored 124 points in Cedarville-like fashion, but only mustered eight the next eight minutes.

?We had a terrible second quarter,? said Hentkowski. He said the boys shot only 10 percent. Posen maintained a 10 point lead in the third quarter as both teams played an NBA-style basketball, with each squad answering each other?s points, until the Vikings turned the ball over and missed some few shots.

?OUR DEFENSE was really suspect in the second half,? said Hentkowski. ?There were too many times guys got into the lane with easy lay ups. That just can’t happen.? Hale took the lead in the first couple of minutes of the fourth, and the score was tied at 63 with 3:25, when the visitors made some clutch jumpers. There were opportunities for Posen to convert, but several key free throws were missed. The Vikings ha

d six possessions, including free throws, and failed to score on all them. A seventh possession that Hincka converted into a three pointer at the buzzer to make the score closer. The Eagles had three players with double figures. Hentkowski said his squad shot well from the free throw line at 17-for-24, but all the misses came during gut check time. LaTulip had 28, while Jordy put in 23. The loss takes Posen out of the running for an outright league championship, although they have a chance to share the title with league victories the rest of the way, including the regular season finale at Mio a week from Friday.

The next game is Friday at home for Parents’ Night against Hillman. Hincka can break the all-time scoring mark. He needs 20 points to tie Matt Ponik and 21 to pass the former all-stater. The JV lost in the early game against the Eagles, 63-60. Jacob Delekta and Nathan Street had 17 each, while Justin LaPointe put in 11.