The boys’ basketball team (5–1) defeated the Landon Bears 58–55 on Thursday night. This was a much anticipated game, as public school v. private school games don’t happen often and the Bears have had a successful season so far. 

The game was intense from the tip-off. The first quarter was close, with both the Vikings and Bears going back and forth; the score constantly tied. Whitman was strong on defense, but the Bears matched this energy stopping the Vikes from gaining momentum on offense. However, Whitman turned things around in the second quarter with senior Hayden Walsh consistently making threes to extend their lead, and senior Evan Brown dominating the paint. 

Nonetheless, Landon came back in the third quarter, out rebounding the Vikings and getting many free-throw opportunities. The score was tied 44 – 44 going into the last quarter of the game. Continuously missing layups, things were not looking up for Whitman. With three minutes left, the Vikings were down 50-53. After a timeout at the two minute mark, a shift in offensive energy closed the score gap within seconds. Senior Sean Curran outplayed the Bears’ defense inside the lane and crashed the boards at every play, increasing momentum for the Vikes. Gaining a lead with just one minute left, Whitman outclassed Landon and took the win for the Vikings.

 Whitman will look to continue their winning streak against the Churchill Bulldogs on Jan. 3, home at 7:15 p.m.