Vikings pound the dogs, topple St. Ignatius

The Bigfork High School boys basketball team earned another week of double victories, taking the Whitefish Bulldogs to the pound, 46-38, on Thursday and toppling St. Ignatius 78-40 on Saturday.

The Vikes’ victory over St. Ignatius was their eighth win in a row.

“It just boosts our confidence more,” said Bigfork guard Austin Jordt after Bigfork’s game against Whitefish. “We’re starting to play better as a team and for us to come off a loss in overtime against these guys and win, it just helps us as a whole and it’s just another step in the right direction.”

Bigfork trailed 13-11 early in the second quarter before a 6-0 run gave the Vikings a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Unlike their previous encounter with Whitefish when they often settled for the outside shot, Bigfork fed the ball to 6-foot-6 forwards Colter Trent and Christian Evans in the post, who finished with 17 and eight points, respectively.

“That was the gameplan,” Bigfork coach Kurt Paulson said. “Last time we shot 25 three-pointers. I told them I don’t want 25 three-pointers, I want the ball in the paint, and for the most part we did that.”

Jordt contributed 13 points, doing most of his damage off the dribble and at the free-throw line, where he converted four of six attempts.

Bigfork held Whitefish’s perimeter-oriented offense to five three-pointers, including three by Cooper Olson, who led the Bulldogs with 11 points. Logan Hardwood and Keaton Nicholson each finished with eight points.

“They do a great job of putting pressure on you,” Whitefish coach Mark Casazza said. “They don’t let you get into any sort of offense. Even when you do break the full court they put so much pressure on you that you have a hard time getting into your offense.

“We didn’t break the press very well. Usually we can break the press and attack the basket, but we didn’t do that. They’re a heck of a team. There’s a reason why they’re No. 1.”

Bigfork extended its lead to five points late in the second quarter before Olson drilled a three to cut the Vikings’ lead to 23-19 at halftime.

Bigfork opened the second half with six unanswered points, two by Evans from the low post and a driving layup by Trent, and extended their lead to 10 midway through the quarter.

“We’ve been coming out flat in the third quarter,” Jordt said. “Today we came out with intensity in the second half and we haven’t done that all year, so it was good for us.”

A three-pointer by Olson cut the Bigfork lead to seven before Trent answered to make it a nine-point game.

Whitefish scored twice early in the fourth, but didn’t have the firepower to mount a serious comeback.

“I didn’t ever want to take the press off,” Paulson said. “We just stayed in it all game and I think our size and physicality just wore them down in the end. I didn’t change defenses once all game minus the out of bounds plays.

“We’ve had a couple close ones like this the past two weeks that we’ve pulled out, so it’s a good sign that we’re growing and learning how to win those close ones. We’re doing it as a team. Before I thought individuals we’re trying to win the game, but now it’s a group effort and that’s what’s happening. It’s fun to watch them do that as a group.”

Bigfork 11 12 12 11 — 46

Whitefish 8 11 7 11 — 38

BIGFORK — Austin Jordt 4 4-6 13, Seth Roessmann 1 2-4 4, Colter Trent 8 1-3 17, Josh Sandry 0 2-2 2, Tyler Kirby 0 2-4 2, Christian Evans 4 0-0 8. Totals: 14 11-19 46.

WHITEFISH —Keaton Nicholson 3 2-2 8, Logan Harwood 2 4-5 8, Jace Kalbfleisch 1 3-4 5, Art Doorn 2 0-0 6, Cooper Olson 4 0-0 11. Totals: 12 9-11 38.

Then two days later the Vikes repeated their performance with another victory against St. Ignatius.

ST. IGNATIUS —Jordt and Trent shared team-high scoring honors with 14 points each as top-ranked Bigfork (11-3) crushed St. Ignatius in a Class B nonconference outing.

Bigfork 19 21 18 20 — 78

St. Ignatius 14 7 11 8 — 40

BIGFORK – Austin Jordt 14, Seth Roessmann 12, Colter Trent 14, Chris Landon 7, Josh Sandry 4, Cam Nissen 8, Tyler Kirby 5, Christian Evans 12, Isaac Martel 2.

ST. IGNATIUS – Paden Alexander 4, Stuart Grant 19, Bryce Hegwood 2, Patrick Eickert 2, Nikko Alexander 11, Will Powell 2.

Up next, the Vikes will play Columbia Falls on Thursday and Troy at home on Friday.