CERRO GORDO – The West Columbus Vikings connected on 30 of a their 52 field goal attempts Friday night in taking a 73-49 non-conference victory over the visiting Laney Buccaneers.
It was the final regular-season home game for the Vikings, whose 18-4 record includes a 10-2 second-place finish in the Southeastern 1A-2A Conference.
West Columbus built a 36-31 halftime lead over the 4A Viking squad and outscored the Bucs 23-10 in the third quarter to take complete control.
“We shot the ball really well and played good defense,” said Viking coach Michael Powell. “It was the kind of game we needed in preparing for the conference tournament.
Chaz Everette scored 16 points, followed by Mikey Bilal with 14 and Cortney Hayes with 13. The Vikings hit seven of 18 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc, including three by Hayes and two by Bilal. Ten WCHS players figured in the scoring.
Laney’s Robinson was his team’s only double-figure scorer as he finished with 16.
In the girls game, state-ranked Laney claimed a victory.
The West Columbus boys will be out to defend the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship tonight when it plays host to Red Springs at 6:30.
The WCHS girls team will step into conference tournament play on Tuesday night at 6:30 when it visits Fairmont.
The tournament will run through Friday with finals set for West Bladen.
The West Bladen boys and Red Springs girls claimed the regular-season championships.
BOYS GAME
| Laney |
17
|
14
|
10
|
11
|
-
|
49
|
| W. Columbus |
16
|
20
|
23
|
14
|
-
|
73
|
LANEY (49): Robinson 16, Baker 8, Sykes 6, Bosier 6, Pelham 4, Donnell 2, Simpson 1.
WEST COLUMBUS (73): Everette 16, Bilal 14, Hayes 13, Ward 6 Smith 4, Hamer 3, Cisneros 8, Leggett 2, Johnson 5, Hope 2.
