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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) The Valley City State Vikings men’s and women’s basketball teams returned to W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse on Saturday for their first home North Star Athletic Association games of the season. The two squads would split the night with the women defeating Presentation College 74-53 and the Men losing to the Saints 57-54.
Women: Valley City State 74 Presentation College 53
Valley City State jumped out to an early lead in the game, but it wouldn’t last long. Led by Haley Froelich, who tallied a team high 20 points, the Saints would keep the game tight going into the half time break trailing by just five.
In the second half something happened to the Vikings. It goes by the name Georgia Williams. The Australian native unloaded on the Saints hitting an 6-of-10 shots from the three point arch. She finished the game tying a career high 27 points in the victory. Megan Trautman came off of the bench for 13 points.
The Vikings shot 42% from the field and forced 18 turnovers with 11 steals.
Men: Valley City State 54 Presentation College 57
Throughout the entire second half Valley City and Presentation College traded leads back-and-forth. With the game tied at 54 and 20 seconds left on the clock the Vikings inbounded the ball to Riley West. West held the ball until there was just seven seconds left to play. As he drove to the net he had his pocket picked by Andre Gibson-Starks. The ball ended up in the hands of Cameron Isreal who speed down the court and launched a three point shot that found it’s mark giving the Saints their first NSAA win of the season.
The Saints stayed in the game until the end by shooting a perfect 16-for-16 from the free throw line. Valley City was just 53 percent from the line but shot a strong 44 percent from the field.
Jayden Ferguson led the Vikings with 22 points and six rebounds in the game.
Jeremy Comer led the Saints with 19 points. Isreal had 18 including the game winner.
The Vikings return to W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse next Wednesday (Jan. 28) when they host Dakota State. The women open play at 4:45pm the Men will play shortly after. Both games can be heard on 1490 KOVC.