The Gibraltar boys' basketball team could not make its six-point halftime last the distance as they fell to Oconto 67-60 in Fish Creek Friday night.
The two teams exchanged runs in the first half as the Vikings answered a 5-0 run by the Blue Devils with an 11-0 run of their own in the first half. The two teams exchanged blows until the final minutes of the first half when Kayin Jackson added a spark off the bench with seven points, matching Liam Lindenberg to help stake the Vikings to a 27-21 lead at the break.
In the second half, it was all about Carter Koch, who scored 25 of his game-high 34 points after the break. Koch's first two points of the second half not only flipped the script as they turned a six-point deficit into a six-point advantage, but it helped him break the 1000-point barrier for his high school career.
The Vikings would hang around, closing the gap several times as they would exchange ties and leads with the Vikings until late in the second half. A big reason why was Lindenberg, who hit three three-pointers in the frame, to end the night with 16 points. His ability to hit the three opened things up for Sitte and Marshall Maltby, who ended their nights with 16 and 12 points, respectively, most of which came in the second half.
It was not enough in the end, as Cooper Campsure's 15 points and nine points from Trenton Hartman helped the Blue Devils snap their three-game losing streak and extended the Vikings' own skid to eight.
The Vikings will head to Peshtigo on Monday to face the Bulldogs. Tim Kowols will have the call on 105.1 The GOAT and NEWRadioSportsNetwork.com beginning at 7:15 p.m. with the pregame show followed by the opening tip at 7:30 p.m.
