Posted: Feb. 2, 2010

It's hard to believe that a boys basketball team that could close the regular season on a 12-game winning streak and win its division would be considered the second-best team in New Berlin.

But that's the case for the New Berlin West Vikings, who entered this week riding six straight wins and were tied for first in the Woodland Conference Blue Division, yet still are overshadowed by unbeaten crosstown rival Eisenhower.

A few more made shots and one less injured ankle, however, and it could very easily be the Vikings in pursuit of the perfection the Lions are chasing.

Entering this week, the Vikings had five losses. One came in the season-opener at Delavan-Darien, a four-point overtime loss, and another about two weeks later, a two-point double overtime defeat at Pewaukee that ended on a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left.

Three days later, junior star forward Chad Mathwig injured his ankle in a 46-37 win at Cudahy. He sat out the next three contests, all of which resulted in Vikings' losses, including a 47-38 home defeat at the hands of rival Eisenhower.

Breaks make a difference

If only the Vikings had made a few more shots down the stretch in the opener. If only the Pirates' late 3-pointer was off the mark. If only Mathwig wasn't sidelined in late December.

"The game goes the way it goes," West coach Jeff Lewiston said. "The ball bounces funny sometimes. We're improving as a team. We've had our tough moments, and that's what really determines how good a team you are, how you handle the adversity."

So far, so good. Since Mathwig's return, the Vikings have won six straight, including an overtime thriller at Wauwatosa West on Jan. 5, a narrow two-point win over St. Thomas More on Jan. 12, and Friday's 64-40 blowout of visiting Shorewood. In that game, four players scored seven or more points, including Dustin Elias who tallied 18 with four 3-pointers.

Mathwig wasn't the only Viking sidelined around Christmas. Mark Kaczynski broke his wrist and remains out, and Cody Tomsak also hurt his ankle. He has since returned and is playing well, but Mathwig's presence has been the difference maker.

He is averaging 19 points per game, third-best in the NOW coverage area, and nearly 10 rebounds. He commands double- and triple-teams, which in turn opens up opportunities for the likes of Elias or fellow big man Jesse Riehle.

"Having Chad in the lineup, he does a lot for us," Lewiston said. "When he got hurt, it wasn't just the scoring, but it's the other things he's doing, and he is a leader.

"It looks a little sunnier when you have all your kids playing, but during the beginning of that stretch (of injuries), I think we started feeling sorry for ourselves. When you start doing that, nobody else is going to feel sorry for you. We've learned a lot about ourselves during that stretch."

Schedule looks promising

Now, the Vikings are poised for a big finish and perhaps a share of their first conference title since they were part of a four-way tie two years ago.

At the very least, the Vikings should win 11 of their final 12 games, depending on Tuesday's outcome with Pewaukee. If the Vikings got past the Pirates on Tuesday, like the Lions were able to do Friday night, New Berlin West would have a clear path to a season-ending 12-game winning streak and a lock on the Woodland Conference Blue Division.

None of the Vikings' final five foes - Shorewood, Brown Deer, Cudahy, St. Francis or St. Thomas More - are even close to sniffing .500. But Lewiston isn't embroidering "2009-10" on West's championship banners just yet.

"I can't pick who I'm playing when, and in my experience - I've been doing this a long time - anybody is a threat," Lewiston said Monday before the big matchup with Pewaukee. "Our schedule was more front-loaded, but as a coach, I look at the teams and know any one of them can beat us on any given night. I don't think we're good enough to take a night off against any of those teams.

"I don't want to blow our own horn but we're quietly having a nice year. We've gotten contributions from a lot of different people during this stretch and that's going to make us better down the stretch because kids have had to step in and fill a lot of roles."