TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The South Tahoe boys and girls basketball teams opened their 2024-2025 season with significant point wins over the North Tahoe High School Lakers. The Vikings boys team bested the Lakers with a 56-37 win. The girls cinched an over 20 point lead, closing the game at 48-25.

Girls team senior, Carly Cox, sank 13 of those points and snagged the game point high. Another 11 of those points came from senior Campbell Mathews and Avery Long added 9.

Girls head coach Mike Neiger said the team set the tone with good energy and a strong defensive effort, which created turnovers early. Sawyer Mathews and Valeria Diaz led the strong defensive effort that caused the multiple turnovers.

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Campbell and Milan Riva controlled the boards defensively. 

“As expected for a season opening game with seven newcomers,” the coach said, “we weren’t as smooth as I would have liked on offense.” The team missed a lot of shots from close range and many putback opportunities.

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“However, I really like how this group worked together on the court,” he said. “That’s promising from a coach’s point of view.”

As they progress on that front, he hopes to continue to see good things.

The boys team hit the court following the girls win. The team jumped out to a quick 11-3 first quarter lead and never looked back, according to head coach, Phil Bryant.

The former Vikings’ junior varsity coach and assistant varsity coach of two years took the helm of the boys varsity team this season. He is implementing an attacking system on both ends of the court that already appears to be paying off. 

Full and half court traps are the key to the head coach’s defense. That’s coupled with what he calls a “foot on the gas” mentality on offense. 

The new brand of Vikings were led by Kai McClain’s dominance in the paint as he dropped 25 points on the Lakers with a variety of moves and navigated up and down the court at a previously unknown rate.  “Kai was huge for us tonight,” said coach Bryant. “He has really bought into the system and has provided some much needed senior leadership.”

The coach said junior point guard Parker Bryant is the trigger man in the offense and is able to get the ball down the court in a hurry. Both McClain and junior wing, Esha Davis, are on the receiving end of a majority of Bryant’s passes. Davis and Bryant added double figures to the Vikings’ scoring. 

New comer Oscar Mendoza has brought a championship mentality to the court after being the state MVP in soccer. Coach explains his competitive spirit has really turned up the defensive intensity. 

This opening game has left the coach with high expectations as they approach the rest of the season. “I am really looking for big minutes from Ronan Fisher, Ryder Preston, Logan Kelso and others as we move through the schedule,”  Bryant said. “We have a deep bench and the battle for minutes has been pretty intense at times.”

Next up, the Vikings play a home game against Pershing County Friday night, Dec. 6.