After exhilarating wins and some disheartening losses, the Viking varsity basketball season is over. After a tradeoff of two wins and two losses for their first four games, the Vikings won four games in a row, before being eliminated from contention after a 56-37 loss to Riverside High School.

Devin Barnes (12) has been playing guard for the Vikings for three years.

“My favorite part about basketball is hearing the sound of the fans when you hit a shot,” Barnes said.

The Viking basketball team finished the season with an overall record of five wins and four losses. Their first game against Laurens High school was a nail-biter, with the Vikings down by 16 points after the third quarter, and coming back to win 52-51. The Vikings’ second game was a close one, with the Vikings falling 36-30 at Clover High School to the Eagles’ basketball team. After this loss, the Vikings rallied together to win a big non-region game at Gaffney High School with a score of 60-51. Later that week, the Vikings suffered a close loss to Northwestern by six points, 53-47. After this loss to Northwestern, the Vikings went on a winning streak, defeating Boiling Springs, and Wade Hampton in a span of two weeks.

Jaheim Barker (12) was a first-year center for the Vikings.

“My favorite thing about basketball is doing whatever I can to help the team win games and bring my best each game. Without hard work, talent doesn’t matter,” Barker said.

Basketball is a game that requires unique skills, such as ball-handling, passing, shooting and movement without the ball. One of the most challenging things about basketball is coordinating with teammates to allow people to get open for shots.

Malachi Hiers (12) has been playing power forward for three years as a Viking.

“We did not have the start that we hoped for, but we worked hard and built our chemistry and came together as a team, which gave us the chance to surprise everyone,” Hiers said when asked about the Vikings’ success in the middle of the season.