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Viking boys end season with setback to state-bound Orme

The Williams High School boys basketball team closed out the season with a tough game on the road against Orme.

The Warriors could do no wrong in the first quarter, jumping out to a 37-13 lead. By the end of the game, Orme had a 97-67 triumph.

“The first quarter pretty much told the story,” Williams coach Dave Green said. “I thought we played the 1-3-1 zone well in the second half.”

After that first quarter, Orme outscored Williams by just six points the rest of the game.

Steffen Eikenberry had a strong game on the boards, Green said, as did Mark Fraser. Tell Eckel showed hustle and played well both offensively and defensively. And the coach said Curtis Bardsley had another good effort, which had become a common occurrence in the second half of the season.

In the statbook, Bardsley led with 19 points on seven field goals and a 4-for-4 effort from the line. Eckel scored 16 points on six field goals and a couple of free throws. Fraser ended up with 14 points and Eikenberry added 10.

Both Eckel and Fraser had a pair of three-pointers. Bardsley also had one to give the team five for the game.

Orme had six points in double figures, led by 21 from guard Jabari Smith.

Despite the 30-point loss, Green said it was actually “one of our better games as a team.”

The Vikings finished with a 3-9 region record, 7-20 overall. Williams did not qualify as one of the top four teams for the region tournament.

“I think we have the backbone of a good ballclub next year,” Green said. “With Bardsley, (Richard) Toth, Eikenberry and some of the younger kids coming up, it will be fun to watch.”

Williams did show flashes of brilliance among the younger kids, particularly on the freshmen team. That team posted a winning record this season and included Ryan Muhr, Brandon Jackson, Ryan Barnes and Jon Garcia.

Green also made reference to a talented sophomore class and those players who will contribute in the future. Among those kids are Vishal Patel and James Howard.


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