Avenging two tough losses earlier this season, including one in double overtime, the boys basketball team knocked off the number-one seeded Blair Blazers, 60-48, March 6, to earn themselves a trip to the regional finals Friday for the first time in eight years.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Vikings (19-6) exploded after halftime, going on a 13-0 run and taking a 39-26 lead late into the third. Guard Ben Castagnetti and forward Adam Lowet led the charge, knocking down key shots including an early three by Lowet to lead the run.
“We focused on playing team ball and moving the ball around a lot,” center Josh Fried said. “We also created a lot of intensity and fed off our fans with our 13-0 run”
The Blazers, however, battled back and went on a 10-0 run of their own, to cut the lead to just three. However, the Vikes’ run would prove insurmountable. After a slow start to the fourth quarter, the Vikings took back control with around three minutes left, driving through the Blair defense and scoring easy baskets to extend their lead to five.
The Vikes were also able to exploit the Blazers’ foul trouble, getting to the line and hitting most of their free throws to keep a steady lead until they broke away with less than two minutes left to ultimately win by 12.
The team had three players hit double-digits, lead by guard Kyle Depollar who scored 17 points in addition to Lowet and Fried who had 14 and 10 points respectively.
Other than the Blazers’ run late in the third, the Viking defense shut down the Blair offense, holding them to just seven points in the final six minutes and not allowing them to get back into the game the way they did in their double overtime loss.
“We switched periodically from man to 1-2-2 zone defense,” Fried said. “We also had a lot of boards and had great team play, especially with Lowet. We made sure that we would bring a lot of defensive intensity and it showed.”
The win sends the Vikings to the regional finals Friday night to take on the Clarksburg Coyotes (20-4), who beat Gaithersburg in overtime.
“It is so worth it,” Fried said. “All of us are at the peak of our high school basketball careers and it is something that is not handed to you, you have to work for it, and we are all so pumped for tomorrow night.”
