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The North Branch boys' basketball season came to an end Monday, March 3l. The team held its season-ending banquet and awards program at the NBHS commons area.

Viking head coach Bill Baumann commented about his team and the 2007-08 season. "To say this season was disappointing would be an understatement. We had high hopes for this year after last season because of the players we had returning.

"Things just didn't work out the way we planned right from the start. We lost one potential player to an injury in football. Then we had a couple of others out for various reasons to start the season. We then lost Jake Chambers after the first game fo the next six games because of an apendectomy," Baumann noted.

"We just never bounced back. We have an outstanding conference, as was proven by the way teams from the conference finished in the State Tournament. The conference is a grind and everybody in the conference comes to compete.

"We played a lot of games where we showed flashes of what we were capable of doing in one half or the other, but we just weren't consistent enough. We played extremely hard but it was like getting stuck in quicksand. The harder we tried the more we got stuck," the coach continued.

Eight seniors will need to be replaced next season. Jake Chambers (15.7 ppg), Kirk Dahle (2.6 ppg), Danny Ginal (4.15 ppg), Bryce Hunter (3.8 ppg), John Lindstrom (8.7 ppg), Victor Oyesile, Eric Sampson (3.4 ppg) and Alex Sundly will all graduate this Spring.

Chambers finished his career as the number two all time scorer in North Branch history. His 1293 points, second only to Matt Fletcher's 1518. He will also finish second in rebounding with 431, again trailing Fletcher and his 470.

Chambers also ended his career eighth in three-pointers, ninth in assists, 14th in steals and 25th in three-point field goal percentage. He was selected to compete in the Second Annual South Central High School All-Star game on Sunday April 6th.

Lindstrom is ninth in three-pointers, 20th in rebounding and 24th in three percentage. Ginal finished 28th in three-point percentage and 31st in the number of three-pointers made. Sampson completed his career as the fourth overall in total field goal percentage.

Chambers was named All-Conference and Lindstrom All-Conference Honorable Mention. Sampson and Sundly were Academic All-Conference.

Letterwinners who will be returning next year will be juniors Ryan Norman (5.9 ppg), Deon Farr (1.8 ppg), Mike Dahl (2.9 ppg) and Aaron Good (1.2 ppg) along with sophomore Kyle Grote (6.6 ppg).

Norman is currently 11th in freethrow percentage, 19th in three point percentage, 21st in three pointers made and 31st in steals.

Grote currently leads the career stats in freethrow percentage, is third in three-point percentage and 28th in three pointers made.

"For us to be competetive in the future, we must get into the gym and the weight room," Baumann added. "As I heard Kevin Lynch say on one of the broadcasts, 'We all can improve on our shooting'. To be competetive in the North Suburban and in our section there has to be a commitment to put in the extra work in the gym during the summer.

"As I always tell them--don't look back after your career and have any regrets. Don't be the one that says I wish I would have done this. You get what you put into it. Whether it is on or off the court, if you don't put anything into it, don't expect any rewards," Baumann concluded.

Following the final game of the season, Baumann thanked his team, the fans and others by saying, "This was a great bunch of kids that I could count on coming to practice everyday and competing. The seniors all gave a good account of themselves and worked hard every day. I would like to thank the players, parents, fans, staff, administration and press for all the support they gave us this year. There were a lot of positive comments and encouragement throughout the season."

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