MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - The Vikings (8-10, 4-3 SAA) take the win at home against the Millsaps Majors, the final score 77-69. Issac Martin and Cameron Pope (season-high 11 rebounds) shined for the Vikings, both leading the effort with 18 points apiece.
The Vikings won the tip to get the game going, but it was the Majors who had the first points of the contest, cashing in from three to get the game started. It didn't take long for the Vikings to match them as Issac Martin drained a three-pointer to get the ball rolling for Berry. The Vikings quickly extended their lead to six, making it work on the interior, abusing the push shot within the Majors' zone defense.
The Indiana native was the hot hand for Berry's offense in the first half, firing on all cylinders to contribute twelve points to Berry's total with fourteen minutes left in the half, the score 12-20. Millsaps struggled to keep up with the Vikings' hot shooting, and Berry eventually found themselves ahead by double digits with six minutes in the half.
The Majors went on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to three with three minutes left, but Issac Martin kept his hot spell alive and sparked a run that brought the lead up to 9 by the close of the first half after Millsaps couldn't make a last-second bucket, the score 48-39.
The Majors got the ball to start the second half looking to form a comeback. Cameron Pope had the first bucket of the half for the Vikings, probing inside to push the lead to 11. They went cold to start the second half, but what they lacked in offense they made up for with their defense, clamping Millsaps to just two points before the first timeout with 16 minutes on the clock.
Leaving the break, the Majors scored a basket to continue chipping away at the deficit. The effort proved unsuccessful as the Vikings quickly extended the lead back out to twelve. They remained ahead by twelve until Millsaps brought the deficit down to nine points with four minutes left in the game.
Drew Winegarden showed his range just when he needed to, hitting a step-back three to push the lead back to twelve, but the Majors were not giving up yet and immediately got it back on the other end to bring the deficit back down to nine. Now finding a little momentum, the Majors got the deficit down to seven with three minutes left. Cameron Pope got it done down the stretch taking the ball to the basket to keep the Viking's cushion as the clock wound down.
With 30 seconds on the clock, Millsaps cut the deficit to six points, but at that point it was too little too late as Issac Martin put the Majors away at the charity stripe, the final score 77-69.
The Vikings return to action at home against the Rhodes College Lynx looking to keep the streak alive Sunday, February 1st at 2:00 p.m.
