The North Kitsap Viking boys basketball team has a tough road ahead to the playoffs following a 55-52 loss on the road to the Bainbridge Spartans Feb. 11.

The Spartans (16-4 overall, 11-3 in league) already solidified third place in the Olympic League after winning its previous two games. The Vikings (7-13, 4-10 in league), on the other hand, lost its last three games and have slim hopes to make the playoffs, which begin Feb. 15.

“We’re just hoping; hopefully we can get in [to the playoffs] and see what happens,” NK coach Shaa Humphrey said.

The game started as a low-scoring affair, with both teams only having three points with five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Viking senior Preston Keehn and Spartan senior Luke Johnson made three-point jumpers to kick off the scoring.

The game remained neck-and-neck from there on out. NK forced early Bainbridge turnovers, generating quick offensive possessions, but failed to capitalize, keeping the game tied for a majority of the period.

In the second quarter, the Spartans scored 16 points and cleaned up its turnover-prone ways. NK senior guard Jordan Williams led the Vikings with four points in the second, and Spartan junior Kaden Thielman led Bainbridge with five. The Spartans led 30-25 at the half.

“I think we were in our heads a little bit,” Bainbridge coach Will Ferris said. “We weren’t trusting the offense as much and just playing together.”

The Spartans went on a 13-0 run to kick off the third quarter, warranting a Humphrey timeout at the 5:35 mark. Thielman landed an emphatic block on Williams, but NK was able to respond with a three-point jumper from Williams to end the scoring drought.

From that point forward, the Vikings stole momentum back from Bainbridge and cut the lead to 50-42 at the end of the third.

NK senior Preston Keehn hit a three-pointer near the start of the fourth quarter, cutting the Spartan lead back to five. Viking junior Jaxon Korsak hit another three-pointer, making the score 50-48.

Williams was able to put in a layup, narrowing the Spartans lead to two again. Ferris called a timeout with 53 seconds remaining.

Keehn incurred a foul with 22 seconds remaining, sending Johnson to the free-throw line, where he made one out of two.

Korsak attempted a three-point shot to tie the game at the end 55, but couldn’t get it to fall.

“Especially with how they [Bainbridge] played us the first time, we felt we played them pretty close for three quarters,” Humphrey said.