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Normally the host of a high school basketball tournament draws the last game of the day.
Originally, that was the plan for South Tahoe in its annual Viking Classic on Thursday. But some last-minute addition and subtraction of teams put the Vikings in the opener and nightcap of the 11-team boys’ tournament.
“It’s hard for our guys to play a 3:30 game when they get out of school at 2:40. We were still setting up for the tournament when we should have been getting ready for the game,” said STHS coach Chris Proctor.
As a result, Lodi jumped on the Vikings for an 18-1 lead and never looked back en route to a 63-40 triumph at STHS.
After the slow start, the Vikings played Lodi fairly even for the remainder of the half and went into the break with a 37-16 deficit. But Lodi capitalized on STHS turnovers to extend its lead above 30 points in the third quarter.
Thomas Miller, who led all scorers with 18 points, drained a pair of trifectas in the third quarter, and Steven Cockrum added another to put away the Vikings.
The Vikings had moments where their half-court offense yielded easy baskets for Peter Pielaet-Strayer and Thomas Eidam, but turnovers prevented the home team from establishing any offensive continuity.
A layup by McQuade Brubaker just before the final buzzer pulled the Vikings as close as they could get since the start of the third period.
“Every game is another step in getting ready for league,” said Proctor, noting that his team has dealt with a different situation — close defeat, tight win and one-sided loss — in each of its three games.
Pielaet-Strayer topped the Vikings with nine points, while Brubaker had six. Cockrum had 16 points for Lodi.
Vikings exposed to speedy Hercules
South Tahoe likely won’t see too many teams quicker than the one it faced in final game of day one in the Viking Classic.
Hercules of Contra Costa County pushed the basketball at a blistering pace, testing the Vikings’ young group of guards.
Guard Cameron Riggins led the break for Hercules, scoring 19 points in a 61-45 victory.
The Titans built a 20-point halftime lead, then extended their edge in the third quarter before turning over the final eight minutes to their reserves.
“I don’t mind playing teams like that. I think it makes us better,” Proctor said. “The hard part is keeping the boys from getting down too much. These are teams that will make us better against our league.”
The Vikings (3-1), playing their second game in a five-hour span, didn’t seem to tire as Proctor didn’t hesitate to use his deep bench.
STHS senior guard Chris Klug embraced the extra work. In fact, Klug had a career-best game in the second half of the doubleheader, scoring 19 points.
“We need the work, and some coaches look at a tournament and try to pick on the easier teams so they can beat them and look better at the tournament,” Klug said. “I think it’s smart that we’re playing the harder teams. It makes us come together as a team, makes us have to work together and we’ll have to see things faster. When we get into league, it will be slower, and we’ll be able to relax.”
With Hercules threatening to bury the Vikings midway through the third quarter, Klug converted a conventional three-point play, then buried a trifecta the next time down the floor. But Klug’s barrage of points still left STHS behind by 21 points with 5:15 left in the period.
South Tahoe put a dent in the Titans’ lead late in the fourth period, but the student body missed it. With 2:45 remaining, official Joe Puleri sent the student section to the exits after a series of misdeeds, including blowing a whistle, sounding off an air horn and throwing things on the court.
The remaining spectators saw Noble Lau feed senior Danny Vallejo for a easy bucket, Vallejo hit two free throws and Kyle Dupree capping a 7-0 run with a three-pointer.
Vallejo finished with nine points, while Dupree had eight.
The Vikings (1-2) are scheduled to play two games on Friday — Atwater at 3:30 p.m. and El Camino at 8 p.m. On Saturday, the Vikings will oppose Escalon at 11 a.m. and Bradshaw Christian at 6:30 p.m.
Visit www.tahoedailytribune.com for scores throughout the weekend.
VIKING CLASSIC SUMS
LODI 63, SOUTH TAHOE 40
Lodi: Miller 18, Khan 1, Niktavis 2, Simpfenderfer 2, Cockrum 16, Gaarder 7, Larabe 7, Birtwhistle 4, Herman 6 — 63.
South Tahoe: Klug 3, Lau 2, Brubaker 6, Eidam 3, Kory DiGrande 2, Kyle DiGrande 4, Vallejo 5, Tinlin 2, Dupree 4, Pielaet-Strayer 9 — 40:
Halftime: Lodi 37-16.
HERCULES 61, SOUTH TAHOE 45
Hercules: Riggins 17, Evans 4, Victor 3, Narimatsu 4, Hill 6, Brooks 9, Penix 11, Brown 7 — 61.
South Tahoe: Klug 19, Brubaker 1, Braun 4, Vallejo 9, Dupree 8, Pielaet-Strayer 2, Eidam 2 — 45.
Halftime: Hercules 38-18.
Viking Classic Schedule
Thursday through Saturday
At South Tahoe High School
Thursday’s games
Blue Gym
Lodi 63, South Tahoe 40
El Camino 86, North Valleys 74
Bear River 63, Carson 60
Hercules 61, South Tahoe 45
Gold Gym
Atwater 53, Bradshaw Christian 51
Soquel 81, Escalon 56
Friday’s Games
Blue Gym
South Tahoe vs. Atwater, 3:30 p.m.
North Valleys vs. Lodi, 5 p.m.
Bradshaw Christian vs. Hercules, 6:30 p.m.
South Tahoe vs. El Camino, 8 p.m.
Gold Gym
Escalon vs. Carson, 5 p.m.
Bear River vs. Soquel, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Blue Gym
South Tahoe vs. Escalon, 11 a.m.
Soquel vs. Carson, 12:30 p.m.
Hercules vs. Atwater, 2 p.m.
North Valleys vs. Bear River, 3:30 p.m.
Lodi vs. El Camino, 5 p.m.
South Tahoe vs. Bradshaw Christian, 6:30 p.m.
Originally, that was the plan for South Tahoe in its annual Viking Classic on Thursday. But some last-minute addition and subtraction of teams put the Vikings in the opener and nightcap of the 11-team boys’ tournament.
“It’s hard for our guys to play a 3:30 game when they get out of school at 2:40. We were still setting up for the tournament when we should have been getting ready for the game,” said STHS coach Chris Proctor.
As a result, Lodi jumped on the Vikings for an 18-1 lead and never looked back en route to a 63-40 triumph at STHS.
After the slow start, the Vikings played Lodi fairly even for the remainder of the half and went into the break with a 37-16 deficit. But Lodi capitalized on STHS turnovers to extend its lead above 30 points in the third quarter.
Thomas Miller, who led all scorers with 18 points, drained a pair of trifectas in the third quarter, and Steven Cockrum added another to put away the Vikings.
The Vikings had moments where their half-court offense yielded easy baskets for Peter Pielaet-Strayer and Thomas Eidam, but turnovers prevented the home team from establishing any offensive continuity.
A layup by McQuade Brubaker just before the final buzzer pulled the Vikings as close as they could get since the start of the third period.
“Every game is another step in getting ready for league,” said Proctor, noting that his team has dealt with a different situation — close defeat, tight win and one-sided loss — in each of its three games.
Pielaet-Strayer topped the Vikings with nine points, while Brubaker had six. Cockrum had 16 points for Lodi.
Vikings exposed to speedy Hercules
South Tahoe likely won’t see too many teams quicker than the one it faced in final game of day one in the Viking Classic.
Hercules of Contra Costa County pushed the basketball at a blistering pace, testing the Vikings’ young group of guards.
Guard Cameron Riggins led the break for Hercules, scoring 19 points in a 61-45 victory.
The Titans built a 20-point halftime lead, then extended their edge in the third quarter before turning over the final eight minutes to their reserves.
“I don’t mind playing teams like that. I think it makes us better,” Proctor said. “The hard part is keeping the boys from getting down too much. These are teams that will make us better against our league.”
The Vikings (3-1), playing their second game in a five-hour span, didn’t seem to tire as Proctor didn’t hesitate to use his deep bench.
STHS senior guard Chris Klug embraced the extra work. In fact, Klug had a career-best game in the second half of the doubleheader, scoring 19 points.
“We need the work, and some coaches look at a tournament and try to pick on the easier teams so they can beat them and look better at the tournament,” Klug said. “I think it’s smart that we’re playing the harder teams. It makes us come together as a team, makes us have to work together and we’ll have to see things faster. When we get into league, it will be slower, and we’ll be able to relax.”
With Hercules threatening to bury the Vikings midway through the third quarter, Klug converted a conventional three-point play, then buried a trifecta the next time down the floor. But Klug’s barrage of points still left STHS behind by 21 points with 5:15 left in the period.
South Tahoe put a dent in the Titans’ lead late in the fourth period, but the student body missed it. With 2:45 remaining, official Joe Puleri sent the student section to the exits after a series of misdeeds, including blowing a whistle, sounding off an air horn and throwing things on the court.
The remaining spectators saw Noble Lau feed senior Danny Vallejo for a easy bucket, Vallejo hit two free throws and Kyle Dupree capping a 7-0 run with a three-pointer.
Vallejo finished with nine points, while Dupree had eight.
The Vikings (1-2) are scheduled to play two games on Friday — Atwater at 3:30 p.m. and El Camino at 8 p.m. On Saturday, the Vikings will oppose Escalon at 11 a.m. and Bradshaw Christian at 6:30 p.m.
Visit www.tahoedailytribune.com for scores throughout the weekend.
VIKING CLASSIC SUMS
LODI 63, SOUTH TAHOE 40
Lodi: Miller 18, Khan 1, Niktavis 2, Simpfenderfer 2, Cockrum 16, Gaarder 7, Larabe 7, Birtwhistle 4, Herman 6 — 63.
South Tahoe: Klug 3, Lau 2, Brubaker 6, Eidam 3, Kory DiGrande 2, Kyle DiGrande 4, Vallejo 5, Tinlin 2, Dupree 4, Pielaet-Strayer 9 — 40:
Halftime: Lodi 37-16.
HERCULES 61, SOUTH TAHOE 45
Hercules: Riggins 17, Evans 4, Victor 3, Narimatsu 4, Hill 6, Brooks 9, Penix 11, Brown 7 — 61.
South Tahoe: Klug 19, Brubaker 1, Braun 4, Vallejo 9, Dupree 8, Pielaet-Strayer 2, Eidam 2 — 45.
Halftime: Hercules 38-18.
Viking Classic Schedule
Thursday through Saturday
At South Tahoe High School
Thursday’s games
Blue Gym
Lodi 63, South Tahoe 40
El Camino 86, North Valleys 74
Bear River 63, Carson 60
Hercules 61, South Tahoe 45
Gold Gym
Atwater 53, Bradshaw Christian 51
Soquel 81, Escalon 56
Friday’s Games
Blue Gym
South Tahoe vs. Atwater, 3:30 p.m.
North Valleys vs. Lodi, 5 p.m.
Bradshaw Christian vs. Hercules, 6:30 p.m.
South Tahoe vs. El Camino, 8 p.m.
Gold Gym
Escalon vs. Carson, 5 p.m.
Bear River vs. Soquel, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Blue Gym
South Tahoe vs. Escalon, 11 a.m.
Soquel vs. Carson, 12:30 p.m.
Hercules vs. Atwater, 2 p.m.
North Valleys vs. Bear River, 3:30 p.m.
Lodi vs. El Camino, 5 p.m.
South Tahoe vs. Bradshaw Christian, 6:30 p.m.
