Eagles soar to first home victory

This past weekend may have started out the same for Chadron State’s men’s basketball team, but it didn’t end the same. The Eagles won their first home game in a battle against Regis University on Saturday. However, on Friday, Chadron took on the No. 1 Metro State Roadrunners. And run they did, all the way to a 63-51 victory.

Metro stole the show in rebounds, totaling 29 with 13 of those being offensive. Off of those, they were able to score 14 second chance points. Metro has won all of their games, as they are undefeated at 17-0, by double digits except for two. Chadron gave them a run for their money as they played neck-and-neck for the majority of the first half.

Kyle Vinich, sophomore forward of Casper, Wyo., was the first to score for Chadron, with a jumper, assisted by Justyn Anderson, redshirt freshman point guard of Las Vegas, Anderson led in assists with three, and Vinich had 10 points for the game. The leading scorer was Grant Stone, junior guard of Canton, Mich., with 11 points, nine of those being from behind the three-point line.

The Roadrunners only had one player score in double digits, Jonathon Morse, but had the other players score more evenly. Metro did outshoot Chadron beyond field goal range with a 50 percent shooting average, compared to Chadron’s 33 percent.

The Eagles then came out ready to play on Saturday against Regis University, claiming the 72-61 victory. Chadron now advances to 2-17 overall and 2-13 in the RMAC, with both wins being against Regis.

“I thought we were more determined and our focus was better. We are also healthier as a team,” Head Coach Brent Bargen said.

Regis was the first to score, but Chadron caught up soon and tied the score after a pair of free throws from Kendrick Holliman, sophomore forward of Spanish Fort, Ala., and a layup from Vinich. Following that, the game featured seven ties before the Eagles were able to get going on a scoring rant after a three pointer by Stone with 4:28 to play.

With a little more than three minutes to play, the Regis Rangers gave the Eagles a scare when they tied the game off a free throw from Jon Conley, who totaled 14 points for the night. However, Chadron’s very own junior forward, Zac Bargen, responded with a three pointer and lay up to give the Eagles a cushion. Bargen led the team in scoring with 22 points, and also shot some clutch free throws at the end of the game.

“We came together as a team and trusted one another and just did our best,” Anderson said.

Chadron will travel to Colorado for games against Western State Colorado University and Colorado Mesa University Friday and Saturday respectively. Games will start at 7:30 p.m. both nights, and Chadron’s women’s basketball team games start at 5:30 p.m.