Basketball Recap: Mabton Comes Up Short

Mabton was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were five points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 58-53 heartbreaker at the hands of the Tonasket Tigers. The Vikings were not able to repeat the success they had when they faced the Tigers earlier this season, when they won 59-56.

Tonasket's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kristian Jones, who shot 6-for-10 from long range and dropped a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Jones is becoming a predictor of Tonasket's success: when he posts at least ten boards the team is 9-3 (and 6-8 when he doesn't). Tanner Tompkins was another key player, dropping a double-double with 19 points and ten rebounds.

Mabton's loss dropped their record down to 16-9. As for Tonasket, they pushed their record up to 15-11 with the victory, which was their third straight at home.

Mabton does not have any more games scheduled as of now. As for Tonasket, they will face off against Okanogan at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Tonasket knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 55 points or more in their past seven games -- so hopefully Okanogan likes a good challenge.