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The boys basketball team edged out the B–CC Barons 48–47 Monday evening after forward Max Oppenheim scored a buzzer-beater tip-in. The Vikings now advance to the third round of playoffs and prepare to play Blair Wednesday evening.

Before the game, B-CC principal Dr. Donna Jones led a moment of silence in honor of Whitman student Thomas Buarque De Macedo, who passed away in a car accident Saturday night. The Vikes’ warmup shirts read “For Tommy” in his memory.

The Vikings were prepared for a close game—they had met the Barons twice during the regular season, each team winning once.

“We expected a close, defense-oriented game,” forward Miller Aucamp said. “Our games with B-CC are always high-energy and really close.”

The teams battled from the start. By the end of the first quarter B–CC had a 13–11 lead, but the Viking’s 3–2 zone defense dug down during the second quarter. By halftime, Whitman was up 19–17.

“Our defense did a really good job shutting them down during the first half,” Aucamp said, “especially during the second quarter, when we only gave up four points.”

The Viking offense was again lead by forward Shaq Diboti-Lobe, who totaled 27 points before running into foul trouble in the second half.

“In the second half we got a lot more scoring opportunities for other players and really lead a balanced attack,” Aucamp said.

The Barons led the game by four with less than 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the Vikes were forced to foul star B-CC guard Kevin Holsten. After both foul shots missed the net, Diboti-Lobe drilled a three pointer through double coverage to bring the score within one.

As B-CC’s offense tried to run down the clock, the Vikings came up with a steal and called a quick timeout to give themselves a chance at the win.

In the last seconds of the fourth quarter, the Vikings were down one when forward Max Oppenheim was able to score a two-point tip-in at the buzzer, securing the Vikings a 48–47 victory.

The Vikes’ next game is at home Wednesday evening against the four seed Blair Blazers.