The boys basketball team lost 80-52 to the 4-0 defending state champions, the Magruder Colonels, Dec. 14, falling to a 1-3 record.
Magruder started out on a 9-0 run, hitting three three-pointers, and led for the duration of the game. Senior guard Liam Hatch followed with a three of his own for the Vikes, before the Colonels expanded on their lead. Whitman had several plays, including a layup on a baseline drive by Hatch, and more threes from guards Max Steinhorn and Robby Lund, but were still down 33-20 at the half.

Any hope the Vikes had of catching the defending state champs was eliminated in the third quarter, as a barrage of threes from the Colonels, led by senior Nick Griffin, gave them a 22 point lead. Griffin scored 21 of Magruder’s 25 third quarter points, connecting on five straight three pointers.

The Vikes tried to fight back with baskets from forwards Andrew Castagnetti and Daniel Lowet, as well as guards Samir Kaveeshwar and Ben Castagnetti, but the deficit ultimately proved too large to overcome.

“It was a tough loss to a good team,” Steinhorn said. “But this is the type of competition we need to be able to beat if we want to achieve our goal of winning our region.”

The Vikes will look to bounce back Dec. 17 on the road when they play the 4-0 Paint Branch Panthers.