Ending 2020 with a homecoming loss to Newburg the Friday before Christmas, Chandler Harker’s Vienna Eagles looked to start 2021 Saturday night with a victory on their home court against Salem’s Tigers.

Picking this game up before the holiday break, Saturday’s game with Salem replaced a scheduled game with Stoutland.

Trailing 7-2 early in the first quarter, Vienna closed the opening period on a 15-0 run before going on to a 70-60 victory over the visiting Tigers.

“That was a big win for us, we needed to get back on the winning track,” Harker said. “We started out a little slow. Then we caused some turnovers which turned into some fast break points.”

Vienna’s Bayrd VanScoy started the aforementioned 15-0 run with a 3-pointer at the 3:30 mark of the first quarter before another 3-ball from Max Steffen gave the Eagles their first lead of the game at 8-7.

Also adding to the quarter-ending run for Vienna was Layne Hogshooter with four points, Nathan Kleffner with three points and two points from Trey Snodgrass.

Leading 17-7 after eight minutes of basketball, the Eagles were able to keep their advantage at or around double digits the majority of the second quarter.

Leading 21-11 with 6:10 until halftime, Vienna’s next five points came from Hogshooter helping the hometown Eagles to a 26-17 advantage with 2:45 for the half.

Seeing Salem end the half on a 7-2 run, a Lucas Magner bucket with :42 for the half helped Vienna to a 28-24 halftime lead.

Hogshooter led the Eagles with nine first-half points followed closely with seven from Kleffner.

Braiden Carmack paced Salem and all scorers in the first half with 11 points.

Third-quarter action from Vienna High School featured numerous runs by both teams.

Seeing Salem get within one point on two occasions to open the second half, the Eagles were able to answer Salem’s mini-runs with runs of their own.

In spite of being edged 22-19 in the third quarter, Vienna went into the fourth quarter with a slim 47-46 lead.

Opening the final eight minutes from VHS, Carmack gave Salem a 48-47 lead with 7:32 remaining.

Twelve seconds later, Hogshooter opened the fourth-quarter scoring for the Eagles giving them a lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the game.

Playing arguably the game of his life, Hogshooter led four Eagles in double figures with a team-high 22 points.

“Layne played the best game I’ve ever seen him play tonight,” Harker said. “He’s normally our defensive workhorse. Tonight, he was solid on both offense and defense.”

Hogshooter also dished out a team-high five assists.

Scoring seven points in each half, Kleffner finished with a double double for Vienna of 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Joining Kleffner in the double double club for the Eagles was Snodgrass with 12 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.

Netting eight second-half points, VanScoy rounded out Vienna’s double-digit scoring quartet with 11 points and a team-high six steals.

Steffen added six points on a pair of 3-pointers.

Lucas Magner rounded out the Eagle scoring with five points in addition to six rebounds and four assists.

Ending 2020 winning six of their last seven games, Mike Shelton’s Vienna JV Eagles looked to make it seven of their last eight in their 2021 opener Saturday night.

Down eight late in the third quarter, Vienna nearly doubled up Salem 16-9 in the final seven minutes to post a dramatic 47-46 come-from-behind victory over the JV Tigers on a Danniel Casey free throw with 6.3 left.

Surviving six lead changes and two ties in the first seven minutes of the game, Vienna ended the first quarter with a 12-10 lead behind four points from Nic Collins.

Edged 11-9 in the second quarter by the visiting Salem Tigers, Vienna went into halftime with their opponents from Dent County tied at 21-21.

Collins and Cash Stricklan each led Vienna with six first-half points.

Starting the second half, Salem opened the third quarter on a 6-1 run to take a 27-22 lead at the 4:07 mark of the period.

After that, both teams traded baskets the rest of the quarter leaving Vienna trailing 37-31 with one quarter of basketball to play.

Answering Salem’s third-quarter run, the JV Eagles opened the fourth quarter on a 7-1 run tying the game at 38-38 on a Collins 3-point play with 4:48 left in regulation.

Later in the quarter, Collins gave Vienna the lead for good on a 3-pointer at the 2:52 mark.

Scoring 14 second-half points, Collins finished with a game-high 20 points in addition to five steals.

Casey and Stricklan each added eight points while Casey pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.

Spencer Magner chipped in seven points and four assists while Collin John finished with four points and eight rebounds.

Even though he didn’t figure in the scoring, Sam Rowden figured heavily on defense for Vienna recording five blocked shots.