Vikings Earn First Victory Against Rio Hondo

The Barstow Vikings men's basketball team earned their first win of the season, defeating Rio Hondo College 67-61 on Wednesday at the annual Wild West Shootout at West Los Angeles College. After a few close games in recent weeks, the team appears to be finding consistency on both offense and defense.

Trailing by two points at halftime, the Vikings outscored the Roadrunners 41-33 in the second half to secure the win. Logan Santos led the Vikings with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Brian Shannon also contributed 16 points, 1 assist, and 4 rebounds. Kalen Cobb was instrumental in the win with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. Coming off the bench, Demir Conliffe added 6 points and 2 rebounds, while Kamari Stanfill chipped in 5 points and 4 rebounds. 

While the Vikings secured a victory, the coaching staff emphasized the need for immediate improvement in transition defense. The Roadrunners' 12 fast break points, compared to the Vikings' 2, highlighted this area of concern.

The Vikings aim to build on this win while addressing their defensive weaknesses as they continue tournament play on Saturday, December 7th, against LA Valley College at 1:00 PM.