Vikings fall short - 53-45 and 63-51

Photo: Matthew Fleming

FREE — Andrew Fleming shoots a free throw in the loss to Mt. Ararat last Tuesday.

OXFORD HILLS — The second week in the 2012-2013 season was a disappointing one for the Oxford Hills Boys Varsity Basketball team.

It had two games and two losses.

"We forget about them," assistant coach Doug Craib told the team. "Channel our strengths and improve our weaknesses."

The Vikings lost 53-45 to Mt. Ararat on Tuesday, December 11. At halftime the Vikings were tied 22-22, but Mt. Ararat pulled away in the second half of the game.

The leading scorers were Luke Davidson – 19, John Frechette – 7, Andrew Fleming and Jake Plummer both chipped in 5.

Cony came away with a win over Oxford Hills on Friday, December 14. Early in the game Kenny Lynch got four points in back to back pull-up jumpers.

Going into halftime, Andrew Fleming used a dribble pull-up jumper to knock down a buzzer beater to put OH up by one.

The third quarter was a slow one for the Vikings. But in the beginning of the fourth quarter Jake Plummer turned it up and scored the first six points for the Vikings.

Then midway through the fourth quarter Riley Chickering had a great steal forcing Cony to foul him. In frustration, Cony Coach Tim Bonsant called a time-out. Immediately after the time-out Andrew Fleming drove to the hoop and put up a finger-roll for two of his team high 12 points.

The Vikings were down by ten points with two minutes left to play. Fleming threw a blistering pass to Chickering who laid it in for two.

Unfortuntely, the Vikings came up short. The game ended with a score of 63-51.

Andrew Fleming, was named the Bessey Motor player of the game by WOXO radio. "It's nice, but it would have been better if we had come out with a win." he said.

Viking player, Jordan Croteau, who also played on the football team, faced many of the same Cony players this fall. Chandler Shostack, one of Cony's guards is a finalist for the Fitzpatrick Football Trophy.

When asked what it's like to play them on the hardwood, Croteau said, "It is definitely different. They play hard. They are physical when it comes to boxing out."

The Vikings next home game is Friday, December 21 at 7 p.m. against Mt. Blue.