Vikes cruise into quarterfinals

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 4, 2003

SPRINGFIELD, La. &045; Springfield head coach Mark Erdey said Sunday if Vidalia could hold the Bulldogs’ top two scorers to 10 points apiece, Springfield would have a hard time winning.

The Vikings (24-6) completion of half the mission Tuesday, holding 6-foot-4 A.J. Dantzler to exactly 10 points proved plenty enough.

Vidalia made good use of its size advantage as it empty the bench in a 67-36 route of the Bulldogs to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 2A playoffs.

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The win ensures the Vikings will host Port Barre Friday. A time has yet to be determined.

&uot;Our defense really led the way for us,&uot; Vikings head coach Robert Sanders said. &uot;We used a 1-2-2 half court defense and pressed the whole game. It created a lot of turnovers for us in the first half.&uot;

David Wilson led the Vikings with 19 points, as Vidalia jumped out on top of the Springfield early in the first period and never looked back.

By the opening quarter’s end Vidalia found itself up 21-7 and extended its lead before the Bulldogs cut into ever so slightly heading into halftime in the second period, 34-22.

&uot;Everybody got a chance to get in the game and play,&uot; Sanders said. &uot;For the most of the game we rotated 10 players, but with about two minutes left I let everybody get in there.

&uot;If they didn’t contribute with points, they were rebounding the ball.&uot;

Vidalia’s lead never dropped below double-digits despite the effort of Springfield wing-man Jermaine George.

George, Erdey’s other top scorer, led the Bulldogs with 15 points.

Sanders said Dantzler was sneaking through the Vikings’ defense early, but he called a timeout, made the adjustments and began to shut the Bulldog big man down.

&uot;David (Wilson) held his own in there with Dantzler, He was too much for (Springfield),&uot; Sander said. &uot;We started forcing Dantzler into a lot of turnovers.&uot;

Ajay Warner chipped in with 14 points for the Vikings, as 10 players got their names in the scorer’s book Tuesday.

&uot;This group has never been beyond the first round, so you know they’re excited,&uot; Sanders said. &uot;We really had a tremendous following as far as crowd tonight and it helped quite a bit.

&uot;At home it will be even better and hopefully bring in some of the surrounding communities.&uot;