Trojans fall to Vikings in hoop slugfest

The Trojans' varsity basketball game with the Bigfork Vikings on Friday was like two Super Bowl teams vying against the clock for that winner-take-all opportunity in the last moments, and despite multiple changes, the local boys came out on the short end, 51-44.

With the tit-for-tat scoring, both teams were unable to take a commanding lead, until the end, when the Trojans were forced to foul and the Vikings amassed their largest lead of the game, seven points.

"Both teams played extremely well," Trojans coach Cory Andersen said. "They are a good team - ranked fourth, so we really had to play well. Overall, I think their depth was the difference. They have more depth than we do."

Andersen also said the Vikings' height advantage played a big part in the loss.

"We'll work on some things (this) week," he said. "I just wish we had rebounded in the first half like we did in the second half," Andersen said. "I think we were outrebounded 10-to-2. That can make a huge difference."

The Vikings were led on the boards by 6-foot, 7-inch senior center Jackson Boese who grabbed the lion's share of rebounds with 18. However, it was the Vikings' 5-foot, 11-inch senior guard Ian Lorang who proved to be the Trojans' nemesis, scoring 20 points. Lorang led all scorers.

The Trojans' 6-foot, 6-inch senior Ryan Rayson led Troy with 14 points.

However, for Vikings coach Kurt Paulson, he was impressed with the Trojans' speed, particularly the synchronization of brothers Cory and Cody Orr.

"The Orr boys are really something," said Paulson, who returned to Troy, a place where he attended fifth and sixth grades from 1993 to '95 at Morrison Elementary.

"They really deliver the one-two punch," Paulson said of the twins. "Cory Orr may be among the Top Three players, and Cody is scrappy. I knew Troy was good. I saw the films, so I knew we were in for a fight."

That fight was a see-saw affair in which the Trojans led by one point at the end of the first quarter, 13-12.

Troy poured it on in the second quarter, amassing a quick five points as Cory Orr connected on a looping three-point shot just 20 seconds into the quarter and then Creede Garcia stole a Vikings pass and dashed the length of the court to put the Trojans up by six, 18-12 just 52 seconds into the quarter.

Paulson quickly called for a timeout to give his team time to adjust to the Trojans' speed, while employing a varied strategy.

That strategy included three long-range bombs that missed terribly, and the Trojans appeared to be in the driver's seat as Rayson connected with a banker off the glass to give Troy a commanding eight-point lead, 20-12,

After the failed misses, Bigfork changed that strategy to involve getting the ball inside to the lanky Boese, which proved to be their key to victory.

Bigfork rode Boese for the remainder of the second quarter and soared past the Trojans to take a three-point lead at the half, 26-23.

The teams exchanged baskets until with 4:56 remaining in the third, Rayson connected on a turn-around jumper to put Troy back up on top by one, 29-28.

Seventeen seconds later, Cody Orr air-mailed a looping three-pointer to put Troy up by four, 32-28, and then Rayson, taking a pass from Garcia, put the Trojans up by six once again, 34-28, with 4:01 remaining in the quarter.

Bigfork then put the pedal to the metal to outscore the Trojans 7-2 the rest of the way to take a 38-36 lead after three.

Bigfork managed to keep the pressure on, outscoring Troy 13-to-8 in the final eight minutes to secure the victory.

"We responded tonight to a good challenge from a great team," said Paulson, the Vikings' first-year coach. "Our guys can feel good about this one."