UNIONVILLE — Despite struggling for most of the night, the Community Vikings appeared to get over the hump and led by eight points with four minutes to play, but the Grundy County Yellow Jackets went on a 16-2 run the rest of the way and defeated the Vikings 48-42 in a District 7-AA game Friday night.
After defeating Cascade the previous night on a buzzer-beater by Maki Fleming, the Viking momentum did not carry over as Community (8-13, 2-1) suffered its first loss in district play.
Stratton Lovvorn scored four of the six Viking points in a low-scoring opening quarter as the Yellow Jackets took a 7-6 lead to the second quarter.
Fleming scored five points and Lovvorn added four as Community trailed for most of the quarter, but the Vikings scored the final five points and took a 17-16 lead into halftime.
Lovvorn, Fleming, and Jason Cullum each scored four points in the third quarter as the game stayed close. Grundy County led 25-21 before a 6-0 run, which included a dunk by Lovvorn, gave the Vikings a boost and a 27-25 lead.
Community took a 29-26 advantage to the final quarter.
Lovvorn scored six points as the Vikings seemed in control and led 40-32. But the Yellow Jackets fought back and scored the next nine points to lead 41-40 with 2:40 left.
After Cullum connected on two free throws to put Community up 42-41 with 2:30 remaining, the Vikings were shut out the rest of the way as Grundy County ended the game with a 7-0 run.
Junior Crisp scored 11 points to lead the Yellow Jackets while Sam Parson and Brendan Marsh each had 10.
Lovvorn led Community with 18 points while Fleming added 11.
Grundy County was 13-of-21 at the free throw line while the Vikings were 13-of-16.
"We continue to be inconsistent from one night to the next on offense," Viking coach Robbie Davis.
"Until some guys start stepping up on the offensive end and make simple, easy baskets, this is how our season is going to go."
"We probably could make a lot of excuses with the emotional game last night and all the homecoming distractions, but all that would be are excuses," Davis added.
"The Grundy County kids fought hard and made shots when they needed to," Davis said. "Grundy is a very good basketball team that deserved to win that game and their kids executed and never quit."
Community hosts Fairview in a non-district game Tuesday night. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Grundy Co. 7 9 10 22 — 48
Community 6 11 12 13 — 42

Grundy Co.: Junior Crisp 11, Sam Parson 10, Austin Higgins 8, Gavin Hobbs 3, Jordan Nance 2, Brendan Marsh 10, Isaac Campbell 2, Jathan Yokley 2, Alex Parson.
Community: Stratton Lovvorn 18, Maki Fleming 11, Jason Cullum 8, Emery Smith, Cole Crockett, Corey Paterick 3, Jacob Flannagan 2, Trace Broiles, Ramon Hernandez, Noah Newkirk, Landon Lovvorn.
3-Point goals: Grundy Co. (3): S. Parson 3; Community (1): Paterick.
Halftime score: Community 17, Grundy Co. 16.