BOYS BASKETBALL: Bigfork in familiar position entering state tournament
BUTTE — The Bigfork Vikings won a state championship just two years ago.
After the season, they lost their head coach.
Last year they went back to the state tournament, winning a first round game for the third straight year before being knocked out.
And after the season, they graduated four seniors, including three starters and a bonafide superstar running the point.
So finally this year, left with a rag-tag senior class and an untested freshman point guard, Bigfork would finally be forced to rebuild a bit.
Or so it seemed.
Yet today, the Vikings sit in a familiar place, beginning play in the Class B state tournament in Butte as one of the favorites in the field with a 22-1 record, Western B divisional title and a world of confidence and experience in tow.
“We graduated four really talented seniors last year, and if I had to say what I’ve learned it’s that you can’t adhere to expectations,” second-year Bigfork coach Sam Tudor said.
“Because there wasn’t much (expectation) this year and here we are going to state. We don’t care what we lose, we’re going to keep working and building on this program.”
The Vikings have won 13 straight games since suffering their only loss — at Florence on Jan. 16, a setback they avenged by beating the Falcons in the divisional championship game — and open tournament play at 6:30 p.m. at the Butte Civic Center against Townsend.
The secret has been in the balance and cohesion of Bigfork’s entire unit, with seven different players leading the Vikes in scoring at least once this year and a defense that’s gotten stronger as the season has progressed.
“We just have blue-collar kids who have to play well together,” Tudor said. “There is a sense of teamwork with all of these guys working together. All 12 of our kids have bought into this concept of team.”
Bigfork still has an experienced roster, even with the departures in recent seasons, led by seniors Adam Jordt and Jonathan Landon. Jordt was a starter on the Vikings’ state title team in 2014, Landon is Bigfork’s on-the-court leader, and freshman point guard Anders Epperly has proved an able replacement for the graduated Josh Sandry.
“Early in the season, people looked at our freshman point guard and thought they were going to eat his lunch,” Tudor said. “But if you leave one gap open, we tend to find ways to score.”
Townsend (14-11) earned the third state tournament bid from Southern B, but the Vikings are cognizant of the challenge every team presents at this point in the season.
“They’re an athletic team, they do some damage from the 3-point line and they’ve really come on with some good basketball lately,” Tudor said. “The last eight teams playing ball, we’re one of them and we’re fortunate to be here, but these are eight good teams.”
If they get past Townsend, the Vikings’ two stiffest tests in Butte figure to come from the other side of the bracket, where Florence (21-2) and Eastern B divisional champion, Choteau, reside. Choteau (23-0) knocked Bigfork out of last year’s state tournament in the second round en route to a state championship. The Bulldogs’ last loss came in the 2013-14 season.
The double-elimination tournament will run through Saturday. If the Vikings win today, they will take on either Shelby or Big Timber on Friday at 8 p.m.
2016 Class B Boys Basketball State Tournament
at Butte Civic Center & Butte High School
Thursday
First Round
Jefferson vs. Florence, Noon
Choteau vs. Missoula Loyola, 1:30 p.m.
Bigfork vs. Townsend, 6:30 p.m.
Big Timber vs. Shelby, 8 p.m.
Friday
Loser-out games, Noon & 1:30 p.m.
Semifinal games, 6:30 & 8 p.m.
Saturday
Loser-out games, 10:30 a.m. (two sites)
Consolation final, 5 p.m.
Championship game, 8:30 p.m.