The Oakmont Vikings were not the favored team when they played against the number-one ranked Fairfield Falcons at Arco Arena Thursday night. The fourth seeded Vikings arrived at Arco Arena for the 9 p.m. tip off and they didn’t let the big stage, loud crowd, or bright lights of the Sacramento Kings’ court get to their head.
The Vikings fought hard all game and ended up winning 56-54 when John Adenrele tipped in a missed shot with roughly .2 seconds remaining in the game. The buzzer-beating tip was reviewed by the referees and ruled good, and the Vikings won the semi-final playoff game.
In the first quarter, the Falcons looked a little better than the Vikings. Tony Gill kept Oakmont in the game with seven first quarter points, but his team trailed 16-12 after the first.
Fred Mobley and John Adenrele got into foul trouble, so other players on the Vikings stepped up in the second quarter. With great team defense the Vikings held the Falcons to just nine points in the second quarter and Oakmont took a 26-25 lead into halftime.
The second half was full of fireworks, including some big blocks by Oakmont which made the fans go wild.The rest of the second half was full of good play by both teams, scoring back and forth, with the lead changing constantly.
With 52 seconds left to play in the game and with his team down by one point, Tony Gill put up an open jump shot from behind the arch.
The Vikings sat on a two-point lead after the shot found the bottom of the net. The Falcons countered with a great driving lay up by guard Tramayne Bondurant, tied up the game with just ten seconds on the clock. That’s when Gill’s shot banked off the backboard, Alex Ford took the rebound, but missed, and Adenrele tipped in the ball to win the game.
Gill ended with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Mobley helped with 12 of his own.
Number-four ranked Oakmont (22-6) now takes on Woodcreek (25-5) Saturday back at Arco Arena for the Section Championship Game 4:30 p.m. Oakmont is looking for revenge as the number-two ranked Woodcreek owns the season series 3-0.
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