Vikings sweep titles
PLEASANT VALLEY BOYS, GIRLS DEFEAT CHICO IN FINALS
Girls: PV takes section title, Gambol, Wilson combine for 42 points in 60-43 win over Chico
BUTTE VALLEY >> The goal for sophomores Maddux Wilson and AJ Gambol is to claim a Northern Section title all four years of high school.
So far, the pair of sophomores for the Pleasant Valley girls basketball team is halfway there.
Friday night at Butte College, the Vikings defeated crosstown rival Chico High 60-43. Gambol scored a game-high 23 points while Wilson added 19.
The Vikings shook off a halftime deficit of 26-24, outsourcing Chico 36-17 in the second half.
“It’s not the ultimate goal (winning a section title). We want to keep going,” Gambol said. “We just tried to come out with more energy and play better together. Our defense was much better in the second half.”
The section title marks the Vikings’ third straight as they won the last two years, in addition to the 2019-2020 season. Section championships were not held during the abbreviated 2020-2021 season.
Chico started the game fired up. In the tail end of the opening quarter, Taylee Clements, who finished with nine points, converted a fastbreak layup. Senior Campbell Vieg followed up with a pair of layups, one in traffic, that gave the Panther a 13-9 advantage.
“Chico High hasn’t won a section game in so long and we’re the team that thought we could do this,” Vieg said. “We came out with high intensity, really strong and we did the best that we could do tonight and I’m proud of us.”
PV started to gain momentum in the second quarter. Gambol drilled a 3-ball to get within 1716. Wilson hit a 3 of her own off the glass to swing the lead to the Vikings 20-19.
However, Chico stayed well
within reach. Vieg dished a pass to Corina Stephens who converted a basket under the hoop. Vieg then found Clements for a basket in the paint and a Stephens put-back allowed the Panthers to take a 26-24 lead into the break.
In the second half, Gambol drilled a 3-ball from the wing and Caitlyn Vickery followed up with a jumper to give PV a 30-29 lead.
Shortly after, Wilson hit Gambol in stride that led to a basket in the paint and Gambol continued the run with two shots from the line, extending the VIkings’ lead 34-29 midway through the third quarter.
Chico, however, trimmed the deficit thanks to Vieg catching a deflected pass and finishing with a finger roll. A few minutes later, Vieg’s jumper pulled Chico within 36-33.
The Vikings closed the third quarter with the start of a 9-0 run. Wilson drilled a 3-ball and Vickery’s put-back fell in right at the buzzer, firing up the Vikings bench as PV took a 41-33 lead into the final quarter.
“We had a lot of clutch shots,” Wilson said. “When (Vickery) hit that at the buzzer. It was crazy. She put it up and it was awesome.”
The Vikings continued to find the basket. Gambol hit a pair of free throws, a jumper from Wilson, a corner 3 from Nyah Fortune and a 3-ball from Gambol allowed PV’s lead to grow to 51-35.
A jumper from Vieg got Chico within 57-43, but PV continued to run away the rest of the game.
“We scored 17 points in the second half and that is just not going to get it done. Shots stopped falling and it happens in basketball,”
said Chico head coach Sean Conrad. “This group is so great. I can’t say it enough. These girls worked hard and they really deserved to play in this basketball game.”
Vieg wraps up her Chico High career after playing all four years on the varsity team.
“It’s been the most fun basketball journey I’ve ever had,” Vieg said. “I came in freshman year and I got pulled up to varsity. I was nervous and all the girls were super supportive. The program has been awesome.”
The Vikings will next find out where they will be seeded and in what division in the CIF NorCal Regional Playoffs.
“It feels amazing like
we’re on top of the world,” Wilson said. “But it’s not our complete goal. We want to get to state.”