Staff photo/Laurie Johnson The Cook County Vikings outscored the Silver Bay Mariners at home on Tuesday, January 12. David Bergstrom helped earn the win with 12 second-half points down the stretch.
The Cook County boys’ basketball team split its pair of games last week to bring its overall season record to 3-5. On Tuesday, January 12, the Vikings played well, outscoring the Mariners in Silver Bay 74-51. Three nights later on January 15, the Vikings’ lack of defensive intensity led to a 67-79 loss to Lakeview Christian Academy on the road. Cook County now has three games in the next five days against a tough stretch of opponents in Cromwell, Floodwood, and Ely.
In the first match-up of the season, earlier in December, the Vikings and Mariners battled a close game with Cook County pulling away in the final minutes, 57-45. In this game, the Vikings came out red-hot as senior guard James Groth made five firsthalf three-pointers. The Vikings took an early 20-4 lead as Mike Austin and Groth combined for 17 of the first 20 points.
Groth and Austin continued to dominate the first half, combining to score 31 points as the Vikings took a 43-21 halftime lead. Cook County’s defensive intensity was evident as their tough man-toman defense shut down the Mariner attack.
In the second half, the Mariners cut the Viking lead to 12 with just over ten minutes left in the game. After a lull in offensive production by the Vikings, David Bergstrom erupted for 12 second-half points down the stretch to give Cook County a much-needed lift. The Vikings outscored the Mariners in the final 18 minutes 31-30 to win the game, 74-51. Austin led all scorers with 23 points. Groth and Bergstrom each finished with 17 while Colin Everson added 10 for Cook County.
Riding a two-game win streak, the Vikings fizzled on the road against Lakeview. It was as if another team had taken the defensive-oriented Vikings’ place on the court. Lakeview, behind freshman sensation Anders Broman, scored 47 first-half points. Broman, who was the focus on the Vikings’ defensive game plan, scored 22 first-half points as LCA hammered the Vikings, 33-47 in the first 18 minutes of play.
The Vikings were fortunate to only be down by 14 at the break. Cook County’s halftime goal was to claw its way back into the game, but the Broman brothers would have none of that. Anders Broman and his eighth grade brother combined for 20 second-half points. Despite great effort from seniors Austin and Brock Hommerding, the Vikings couldn’t mount a comeback without their standard defensive play.
While Hommerding and Austin combined for 23 points in the second half, the Vikings couldn’t stop Lakeview from scoring as LCA scored nearly 80 points in a 67-79 victory. Though only 12 points decided the game, the contest was never close as LCA outplayed the Vikings in every aspect of the game.
Anders Broman finished with a game high 34 points and is one of the best players the Vikings will face all season. His eighth-grade brother, Bjorn, scored 14 points and started at point guard for LCA. Austin finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds while Hommerding added 13 points for
the Vikings. Colin Everson and David Bergstrom added 12 and 10 points respectively for Cook County.
The Vikings played Cromwell Tuesday after this edition went to press and played Friday in Floodwood. They also play at home Saturday, January 23 at 1:00 p.m. against Ely. Look in next week’s edition for all the scores and highlights.
Come cheer
our Vikes!
Saturday, January 23
1:00 pm ·
Home
vs. Ely
Thursday, January 28
6:30 pm ·
Away
vs. Babbitt-Embarrass
Friday, January 29
6:30 pm ·
Home
vs. Wrenshall
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