MISSOULA – On Thursday, divisional basketball tournaments tip off around Western Montana. One group of girls from the Mission Valley want to keep rolling in the next bracket.
The Charlo Vikings just capped off a great run with a District 14C championship over their rivals from Arlee.
In the regular season, the Vikings started out hot, going 7-0 before losing at home versus Arlee on Jan.11.
Since then, the Vikings have been unstoppable, going 11-0 and picking up two more wins against the Scarlets along the way.
We asked how the success in the rivalry helps the Vikings prepare for divisionals and hopefully state.
“We talk about our conference being one of the toughest ones, hopefully getting us, so we can be better at the end of the year. I think tonight kind of showed that from both teams,” said head coach Bret Thompson.
“Exciting, there’s a lot of people that come to it. It’s very exciting to play and you get the crowd into it, it’s a fun game. I am hoping we’re going to make it through divisionals and go to state,” said junior guard Destiny Manuel.
The Vikings also reminisced on missed chances last season and how they feel going into divisionals this season.
“We have put in a lot of work throughout the season, we’ve done a lot of drills. We focused a lot on each team and their weaknesses to kind of get us to the point that we are at. I hope we’re going to make it through divisionals and go to state,” said Manuel.
“Well, you know, we were there last year. We got to win one game, we got beat by the team that got second, got beat by a point by the team that got third. So hopefully, one game at a time, give ourselves a chance,” said coach Thompson.
