Basketball Game Preview: North Bend Bulldogs vs. Siuslaw Vikings

The North Bend Bulldogs will wrap up 2024 with a road trip to face off against the Siuslaw Vikings at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

North Bend took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They walked away with a 55-42 win over Estacada. That 13 point margin sets a new team best for the Bulldogs this season.

North Bend's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Owen Bascom, who went 7 of 14 on his way to 18 points and eight rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Hunter Christensen, who almost dropped a double-double on 11 points and nine rebounds.

North Bend smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've posted since back in December of 2023.

Meanwhile, Siuslaw entered their tilt with Toledo on Friday with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They blew past the Boomers 72-29. The Vikings have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four games by 27 points or more this season.

Siuslaw's win bumped their record up to 5-2. As for North Bend, they moved to 3-7 with that victory, which also ended their three-game losing streak.

Everything came up roses for North Bend against Siuslaw in their previous meeting back in November of 2023, as the squad secured a 77-48 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for North Bend since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.