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SKC Bison stampede UGF JV Argos

By B.L. Azure

Sonny Eppinette walks the line to the bucket against UGF Saturday. Eppinette was a strong board presence on both ends of the floor. (B.L. Azure photo)

PABLO — The Salish Kootenai College Bison weren’t doing very much roaming this past weekend but they did do a lot of stampeding. The Bison hosted the University of Great Falls JV Argos and sent them packing with a pair of losses in their duffle bags. On Friday, the Bison topped UGF 107-72 and Saturday they ran all over the Argos 148-77.

“We are rarely the taller and stronger team but this weekend we were,” said Bison coach Zack Camel. “We were able to get them to do what we wanted them to do.”

Camel said the Bison are a locked and loaded offensive weapon that is capable of hitting the 150-mark. On Friday the Bison sighted in their guns and on Saturday they were sighted in and on target and two points shy of the 150-mark.

“I was really surprised with how we played the second night (Saturday),” Camel said. “We came out and played harder, more aggressively than Friday.”

Both nights they topped the century mark and both times they did it without their top gun, Dane Fisher, who nursing a minor hip injury sustained in practice.

“Dane could have probably played but we held him out and gave some other players some on court time,” Camel said. “I’d rather rest him than risk further injury.”

Bison guard Coty Reuben, scores a down low deuce against the University of Great Falls Saturday. (B.L. Azure photo)

The quick sticky fingered Bison reeked havoc on the defensive side of the ball. On the offensive side the quick Bison kept UGF defenders on their heels.

“Offensively we are not even close to where we can be. I know we can score more than 150 points in a game,” Camel said. “We came close Saturday because our shots were hitting and we got up big time. When you are up by 20 points shooting becomes easy. Then we had a couple of good dunks and it energized us more.”

Sonny Eppinett led the Bison charge Friday with 18 points; Tim Wolf and Moss Tanner each had 16 points, Jonathon Allen and Coty Weston each chipped in 12 and Kalolo Lonefight-Iu had 11.

Cody Idol led the Argos with 29 points; Chase Johnson had 19.

Saturday, Wes Spotted Bear led the Bison with 24 points; Kalolo Lonefight-Iu had 18, and John Young and Coty Reuben each had 16.

Chase Johnson led the Argos with 24 points; Fredrico Ayala had 14 points.

Bison guard Casey Weston draws the D and then dishes. Weston and the Bison were nailing buckets from all points of the compass Saturday and nearly nailed 150 points on the scoreboard. (B.L. Azure photo)

Tim Wolf sustained a slight knee injury early in the first half of Saturday’s game. Camel said Wolf and Fisher should be ready to play this weekend.

The Bison travel west over a couple of humps to Coeur d’Alene for a pair of games this Thanksgiving weekend.

The Bison play at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 and play the North Idaho All-Stars in Coeur d’Alene 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29.

Then the Bison play at the College of Southern Idaho 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Twin Falls, Idaho. Then the Bison square off against the College of East Utah 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at Twin Falls.

“This weekend will be a test for us. We are starting to click but we will face some strong teams before Christmas. How well we do will set the course for the remainder of the season,” Camel said, adding that the following weekend the Bison play at the College of Southern Idaho tournament at Twin Falls. “The College of Southern Idaho will be our biggest test. I know what our players can do so we’re going to set our expectations pretty high. We want to be hitting our mid-season peak against them.”