The Lady Vikings basketball team, 2-3 in conference and 5-5 overall, played through the holidays and new year, mixing it up with league, non-league and international teams.

On Dec. 19, the Vikings ended 2014 with a non-league loss to the Coupeville Wolves 59-49, but opened 2015 with a conference win against Grace Academy 61-21 and a close non-league loss to Manson Trojans 39-33.

On Jan. 5, the Vikings had a great opportunity to host an Australian team, the Morning Breakers, gaining some international experience in a 65-29 loss.

By half the Aussies led 26-14 effectively using a full court press to disrupt the Vikings ball movement and fast breaks to score easy points.

Hannah Brunner-Gaydos scored most of the Orcas first-half points, driving the paint, while fourth-quarter three-point shooting by Kilee Rogers and Katy Minnis kept the crowd cheering.

On. Jan. 6, the Vikings hosted rival Friday Harbor in a 43-31 loss.

The Vikings kept it close early, only down 25-20 after the first half, but foul trouble plagued Orcas in the second half, evidenced by the Wolverines’ frequency at the free-throw line.

The Vikings opened the third quarter cold, allowing the Wolverines to stretch their narrow lead and finished strong in the fourth quarter after two Orcas starters fouled out.

On. Jan. 9, Orcas traveled up Highway 20 for a convincing 62-37 win over the Concrete Lions.

The Viking starters controlled this game defensively and spread their offensive scoring from the low post, rebounds and outside shooting.

The Viking boys packed five games over the winter break, starting with a non-league Dec. 19 loss to the Coupeville Wolves 68-41, but opened 2015 with a Jan. 2 non-league win against Grace Academy, 50-43.

On Jan. 3, the Vikings let a close non-league game slip away to the Manson Trojans 51-42 and had a rough time with Friday Harbor Jan. 6 in a 66-22 conference loss, challenged by the injury of a key starter.

Bouncing back, the Vikings traveled to Concrete for a needed conference win 49-40 against the Lions.

The young Vikings are 1-3 in league and 2-7 overall. The Vikings have no seniors and only one junior starter.

Stuck in a tough reconfigured league stacked with a host of traditionally tough teams, Friday Harbor and LaConner remain undefeated in league while even a very strong Mt. Vernon Christian has fallen to 3-2 in league due to increased competition.

The Orcas basketball teams next take on Shoreline Christian this week.