Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, amd to hear post-game comments from Tre Sanigar and Coach Matt Johnson. Also click the AUDIO button to hear Nic Williams player spotlight interview.

ESCANABA---The Bay College Norse men's basketball team withstood another challenge on Saturday, and finished its opening weekend with a 2-0 record after a 79-72 win over the Rock Valley (Illinois) Golden Eagles at the Bay College Gym.

The Norse, ranked 14th in the nation in the NJCAA Division Two pre-season poll, fought off injuries and a determined effort from Rock Valley to pull out the victory.

That pre-season ranking, warns Norse Coach Matt Johnson, means that his team has a bullseye on its back: every team Bay plays will try to pull the upset.

And on Saturday, Rock Valley came out hot, jumping to an 18-6 lead on the strength of four triples, two of them by K.J. Cobb. But the Norse responded by scoring 19 straight points, with D'Marco Chelley nailing two triples and Nic Williams adding a three-pointer of his own.

When Mykel Lindsey drained a triple right before halftime, and Ryan Sweeney scored in a back-cut, and Will Kelley put home two on a nice pass from Zay Hayes, the Norse had a 43-30 lead. But the Golden Eagles didn't go quietly from there.

A late triple by Jamarion Readus brought Rock Valley within 65-63, and a Cobb basket a moment later brought the Golden Eagles to within 70-67. The Norse put the game away on a triple from Tre Sanigar, and after a steal, a Sweeney dunk put it away at 75-67.

The Norse played without big man Joe Ofori, who is hobbled by a knee injury. And that's just to name one. Bay had four men dressed in street clothes for this game.

Still, Bay found a way to beat a good team while shorthanded.
 

And now the Norse head to Iowa for two games, against Iowa Western Community College on Friday, and Ellsworth Community College on Saturday.

In Saturday's game, Sanigar led Bay with 19 points (including four triples on five attempts), and six steals on defense. He also had a large blocked shot that prevented Rock Valley from tying the game in the second half.

Chelley also scored 19 points for Bay, and Sweeney chipped in twelve points as he made all eight of his free throw attempts.

The Norse were 13-of-27 in three-point shot attempts, while going 11-of-23 in two-point shot attempts. The team was 20-of-25 at the free throw line. Zavier Hayes led the Norse with eight rebounds.

Rock Valley got 24 points from Cobb. Adonis Thomas added 15 points for the Golden Eagles.