Bad week for the Vikings as they drop two games

   It was a bad week for the Ventura boys.  The Vikings dropped two games, one to a conference opponent and another to a non-conference team.
 WB-M 57, Ventura 24
    It was an ugly night for the Ventura boys on Tuesday, Jan. 31, when they traveled to West Bend to take on the Wolverines.
    “The first time we played West Bend-Mallard it was a low scoring game.  We had hoped to recreate that defensive effort, while getting things going offensively.  Unfortunately, that didn’t work,” said Coach Chad Brown.

    The Wolverines hit five three-point shots in the first quarter to take a huge 27-4 lead.
    The height of the WB-M team was causing Ventura fits, making it hard to get a rebound or do anything down low.  The Vikings pulled it together somewhat in the second quarter, but WB-M still had a big, 38-17 lead by halftime.
    The break didn’t help Ventura, as the Wolverines scored 13 unanswered points to open the second half.  The Vikings never did find a rhythm or a shooter.  They fell, 57-24.
    “A big part of our slump in offense was a lack of patience.  We’re a team that needs to keep the score low, meaning we’re taking shots only when we have run through the offense, and get a great look at the basket.  At the same time, we have to play good defense and rebound, keeping the opponent to only one shot,” said Brown.
    No one had a good game, but Jace Byers led the scoring with six points.  Joel Toppin, Jacob Heinemann and James Stephenson managed four points apiece. 
    Stephenson and Shawn Murphy had four rebounds each.  Toppin and Jacob Heinemann had two steals, while Toppin and Zach Ryerson had two assists apiece.

Central Springs 43, Ventura 34
    On Thursday, Feb. 2, the Vikings hosted non-conference opponent Central Springs.  Although the game was tight most of the night, it was the Panthers who pulled it off in the end with a 43-34 victory.
    The first quarter saw back and forth scoring, but a three-pointer as the buzzer gave Central Springs a 12-8 lead.  Ventura hung in there through the second quarter, but the Panthers had a 22-17 lead at halftime.
    “Our shooting percentage was low, and it wasn’t helping that we were taking ill-advised shots,” said Coach Chad Brown.
    Following the break, Central Springs started packing the middle, making it hard for Ventura to get under the basket and score.  With one minute remaining in the game, the Panthers gained a 10 point advantage and cruised to the win.
    “We’re trying to get everybody in the mindset of playing tournament basketball, meaning we must value possessions, execute and- Read More Via e-Edition