The boys basketball team fell to 9-3 on the season after a tough, late loss to the Blair Blazers, 61-56, Fri. Jan. 10.

The Vikes held the lead for most of the game but a big second half by the Blazers erased what once was a 10-point lead for the boys.

After taking a 23-17 lead after the first quarter, the Vikings went into halftime up by 10, 37-27. Blair then came alive in the third quarter, outscoring the Vikes 18-9, and cutting the lead to only one entering the fourth.

The beginning of the fourth quarter was back and forth with both teams tied at 49 with four minutes left but the Blazers then finished off the game, taking the lead 57-56 with a minute and a half remaining and then extending their lead to 61-56 when the Vikes started fouling.

“It was definitely tough knowing that we had the lead and just gave it away with such ease,” center Josh Fried said.

As the second half started, the Vikings’ intensity fell said Fried which opened the game up for the Blazers to take.

“We were mentally exhausted and showed for it,” Fried said. “Those first three minutes in the second half were crucial and we were not playing Whitman basketball.”

Throughout the night the team’s shooting was off, with the entire team only hitting four three-pointers all game and only one player, Fried who scored 20 points, breaking into double digits.

After being selected as a game of the week finalist, the Vikings, with the support of the Whitmaniacs, won the vote and had a camera crew from WUSA recording their game for highlights to be played later on that night.

“That was a great feeling. We all knew that we would have to live up to our own expectations,” Fried said. “Though we did not win, it was a competitive, and hard fought game, a game that WUSA wanted to see.”

The boys will now take a week off before trying to rebound against the 5-6 Paint Branch Panthers at home, Fri. Jan. 17.