SKC Basketball 2010: Open Range

PABLO - If there's one thing that you can take from this weekend's split with Montana-Western, it's that this year's SKC Bison are going to be one entertaining bas-ketball team.

The Bison showcased a high-tempo offense against the Dawgs that includes plen-ty of scorers.

"We press," Bison head coach Zachary Conko-Camel said. "We attack. It's very rarely that we get under a hundred points."

In their first game against Montana-Western on Friday, the Bison jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first half before things were tied up 30-30 at halftime.

"We went 16 possessions where we didn't score," Conko-Camel said. "You can't win many games when you do that."

SKC's offense was able to get the team back into the game as the two teams traded blows for the rest of the half and the Bison trailed 75-74 with 1:18 left in the game.

Montana Western scored the final four points on free-throw attempts and picked up the 79-74 victory. Marvin Lewis led SKC in scoring with 18 points, and Sonny Eppinette looked dominant at times en route to 17 points.

"[Sonny] had a hurt ankle but he's work-ing himself back into shape," Conko-Camel said.

Dennis Sangrey and Jerimi Rutherford added 11 and 10 points respectively. In their Saturday game, the Bison and Dawgs traded baskets for much of the game and SKC held a slim lead at the half, 43-41.

"We came back the next day and played with the right energy," Conko-Camel said.

In the second half, The Bison went on a 20-7 run midway through the half and led by as many as 15, 73-58. They would carry that all the way to a 98-87 victory.Marvin Lewis had a huge game for SKC with 36 points.

"There's nobody that can stop him on the court when he drives to the basket," Conko-Camel said. "We're expecting big things from him."

Conko-Camel said that coaches have been working with Lewis and pushing him everyday in practice.

"His level of play rises with the level of competition he plays against," Conko-Camel said.

Dennis Sangrey was money from three-point land with five beyond the arc for 17 points. Jerimi Rutherford has 15 points, including two three-pointers for the post player, and Jason Enright added 11.

"I've got four people on the team I know that I can get production from," Conko Camel said. "Now I need to find number five, six and seven."

Lewis is a newcomer to the team, but should be a nice addition to returners Eppinette, Enright and Sangrey.

"We have a bunch of new players," Conko-Camel said.

It's looking like it's going to be another high-flying season for the Bison, who have won multiple AIHEC national championships.

They're also part of a new tribal college league that will see several Montana schools play one another in round robin tournaments throughout the season.

One things for sure, the other schools better bring some defense.

THE BISON AT A GLANCE

Marvin Lewis is a stud. Can’t wait for him to start making “What should I do? Lean back with my deadly jumpshot or show off my hops with a powerful dunk? What should I do?” commercials.

SKC should start making Lewis jerseys immediately, as I hear the No. 23 is a fairly popular number.

As talented as Lewis is, the Bison have an entire squadron of guys that can go off on any night. When SKC slows things down, Sonny Eppinette can take over a game in the post. He’s one of those post players with a really refined game and a nice touch. Jerimi Rutherford is also another strong post for the Bison, scoring ten and 15 points respectively last weekend. Dennis San-grey is deadly from three-point land, knocking down five treys against Montana Western last Saturday.

You also have to love the energy that Jason Enright brings to the game as well, he had 11 against Western in the second game.