The Gibraltar Vikings boys basketball team will live to see another day after holding off a Providence Academy comeback to win 52-47 in Howard on Friday night.

 

It was a two-man show for both teams in the early going, with Isaiah Faulkner and Grayson Herlache pacing the Paladins and Marco Jauregui and Kayin Jackson leading the Vikings. They traded one-point leads until the Vikings went on a 15-0 run, fueled by 14 first-half points from Jackson. Head coach Travis Ward had to dip deeper into his bench due to early foul trouble for Finn Bremer and Jackson, which put Fernando Jauregui and Charlie Reinhardt into the spotlight. The Paladins were able to reel in the Vikings late thanks to 3-pointers from Faulkner and James Hoiska, but the Vikings still took a 28-17 lead into the locker room.

The Paladins came out fast to start the half with Faulkner leading the charge. He scored 19 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, helping the Paladins quickly tie the game. In the middle of the period, Jackson and Jauregui were able to get some shots to fall, pushing the Vikings’ lead out to six points.

The Paladins would get within three points late but would get no closer as time expired. Herlache complemented Faulkner's performance with 11 points, while Hoiska added five. The Vikings were led by Jauregui's 23 points, while Jackson contributed 17 and Aaron Brey chipped in seven.

The Vikings will move on to face top-seeded Reedsville in the regional semifinal. The Panthers have held their tournament opponents in the teens in three of the four periods they have played, beating Gillett 90-35 and Lourdes Academy 66-39. They are led by Ben Prochnow's 21 ppg and 11.3 apg and Arden Strenn's 17.3 ppg and 7.0 rpg. The Panthers enter the matchup on a five-game winning streak, including a win over then-No. 8-ranked St. Mary Catholic.

Tim Kowols and Jacob Nate will have the call from Reedsville on 105.1 The GOAT, beginning at 6:45 p.m. with the pregame show, followed by the tipoff at 7 p.m.