Congratulations to the Portland State Vikings, 67-51 victors over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in the championship final of the 2008 Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Championship.
Yep. The Vikings held the Lumberjacks to 51 points.
Senior all-conference wing Deonte Huff led the Vikings with 17 points, supported by 14 from sophomore wing Kyle Coston and 13 from junior guard Andre Murray.
Despite several runs from the Jacks, the game was effectively over by halftime with the Vikings holding a commanding 14-point, 34-20 lead,
The Vikings did the trick tonight after toying with the Idaho State Bengals in the tourney semifinal game.
In the championship, it was Big Sky MVP, junior Jerimiah Dominguez who carried this team again, as he did through much of the season and down the critical final stretch of games. Dominguez had six assists and four steals, two coming in the final minutes of the first half when the Vikings took control.
There's no doubt in my mind that Vikings were the clear class of the Big Sky, due mainly to Dominguez' sterling play. Here's hoping the Vikings have some success in the NCAA finals.
For excellent tourney coverage, check out Ian Ruder's Vikings' Blog, which is part of the Portland Oregonian sports blog lineup.
I think the championship game is noteworthy for another accomplishment: it was the third-straight championship game appearance by the Lumberjacks, though they lost all three. That says quite a bit about the coaching job turned-in season-by-season by Jacks' coach, Mike Adras.
A couple of interesting sidebars to the tourney. Did any other Montana viewers notice – as I did – that much-maligned veteran Big Sky official, Eric Curry, called the championship game? And that was after he covered the Vikings' – Bengals' semifinal game on Tuesday. Hmmm. Several not so subtle messages from Big Sky Conference officials in this assignment.
Lastly, something that bears brief mention here, but which I'm going to analyze in more detail later...
Notice the attendance figures at the PSU-hosted tourney? Tourney games were played in the Rose Garden, the home court of the Portland Trailblazers. The Vikings drew a whopping 3188 fans in their first tourney win over ISU and 4113 in the championship game. Ouch.
That's 117 spectators LESS than the Montana Grizzlies' men's 2007-08 season average and only 272 more than the Montana Lady Griz season average. There's a good chance (contingent on Lady Griz victories) the final two nights of the 2008 women's tourney will significantly out-draw the men's tourney.
Lastly an announcement: Grizzly Journal will provide game coverage of the Women's Big Sky Championships, which begin tomorrow, Thursday, Mar. 13. I can't yet guarantee that my press pass gives me photographer's access, but I will provide game stories for Grizzly Journal readers.
But if you're a local fan, check out the Lady Griz this week. They're a team that plays without fear, with defensive intensity, and with outstanding on-floor leadership and chemistry.
