VIKING BOYS STALL PANTHERS
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
 
(1/18/08 Chico, CA) The Pleasant Valley boys' varsity basketball team withstood a second half effort from Chico and went on to a 70-62 win Friday at Chico State's Acker Gym.
 
Hollen O'Kelley made a free throw 19 seconds into the game for the Vikings' first point. Rex Holmes' bucket 15 seconds later opened up the Panthers' scoring. A shot from Kayhan Karatekeli with 4:43 remaining in the first quarter allowed Chico to take a 10-7 lead. Mycal Swaim's hoop with 3:18 to go in the first allowed PV to take a 12-11 lead. A three-pointer by Anthony Carter with 31 seconds left in the period moved the Vikings ahead 20-16, but Holmes answered near the end of the first with a three of his own as the Panthers came within a point.
 
Kellen Coppage's basket with 6:51 remaining in the second quarter gave Pleasant Valley a 22-19 lead. Holmes hit a bucket with 4:30 to go in the period to bring Chico within five points at 26-21. Vance Newton's three-pointer with 3:07 left in the first half gave the Vikings a 29-22 lead. A hoop from Holmes cut the Panthers' deficit to 35-26. A buzzer beater by O'Kelley off his own steal gave PV a 40-29 lead at halftime.
 
Anthony Taylor made a pair of free throws 15 seconds into the third quarter to cut Chico's deficit to nine points. A bucket by Shawn Moore 19 seconds later put the Vikings up 42-31. Nate Anderson made his third straight three-point shot with 3:54 remaining in the third as the Panthers were down 48-40. A pair of free throws by Sean Reynolds with 3:17 to go in the third gave Pleasant Valley a 50-42 lead. Reynolds added a three-pointer with 43 seconds left to put the Vikings ahead 53-42.
 
Jordan Kenoyer made a pair of free throws 29 seconds into the fourth quarter to cut Chico's deficit to seven points at 53-46. Coppage's hoop with 6:52 remaining in the game moved PV up 55-46. Holmes made a three-pointer with 4:29 to go to bring the Panthers within 12 points at 63-51. He added a pair of free throws with 3:22 left as Chico was down 66-53. O'Kelley's basket with 1:01 to go in the contest allowed the Vikings to reach 70 points.
 
O'Kelley was the Vikings' leading scorer with 20 points. He also grabbed six rebounds. Carter scored 13 points, while Reynolds and Moore each had nine points. Holmes was the Panthers' leading scorer with 33 points. Anderson scored 14 points and collected five rebounds.
 
Pleasant Valley improved its overall record to 10-8 and its Eastern Athletic League record to 3-2, while Chico dropped to 11-7 overall and 2-3 in league play. Both teams will resume play Wednesday, Jan. 23 as the Vikings will be at home against Red Bluff and the Panthers go on the road to face Shasta.