Without a leader, Vikings look like a shade of their former selves

During the impressive winning streak that propelled the men’s basketball team to its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament, head coach Ken Bone’s squad reeled off victories in 16 of its final 19 games.

As the team ran through the Big Sky Conference, losing only two games by a combined margin of six points, much was made about the impressive blowout victories that the talented team produced.

Two victories over Sacramento State of 20-plus points, a 23-point beat down of Idaho State, a 28-point trouncing of Montana State, and who could forget the 106-58 thrashing of Montana.

All came last season. Certainly the victories were an impressive piece of the resume for one of the most celebrated teams in school history.

But what went unnoticed were narrow victories over Eastern Washington, Weber State, Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado. Those victories came difficultly and by an average of just 2.5 points per game.

When crucial plays needed to be made in those games, they were made.

Whether it was Jeremiah Dominguez sealing the game late with clutch free throws, or a big shot from Kyle Coston or Deonte Huff, the Vikings became the kind of team that makes its money at the end of the game: They became clutch.

As the Vikings stumbled in games in Montana this weekend, the squad lost position in the race to claim the regular-season conference championship. At 6-3 in conference play, it seems likely that Portland State will have to run the table to claim the right to host the Big Sky Conference Tournament.

But the bigger issue that faces Portland State fans after the most disappointing weekend since Washington State embarrassed Jerry Glanville’s football team in September is the emerging lack of leadership from this squad.

Between returning players like Dominguez and Coston and the heralded fresh faces of Phil Nelson, Dominic Waters and Jamie Jones, most pictured the Vikings steamrolling the weak Big Sky and continuing their rise to mid-major prominence.

And that seemed to be the course that the team was charting when they defeated Portland, Cal State Fullerton and Gonzaga early on this season.

In those games it was Dominguez who seemed to seamlessly pick up from where he left off last season, as he dominated late in games to prove his worth as a leader.

But now the Vikings are in an unpredicted downward spiral, the likes of which have not been seen by this talented of a squad in some time, and the cost of leadership seems to be too pricey for any of Bone’s players to purchase in 2009.

In Bozeman, Mont., on Sunday, Dominguez was held out of the starting lineup for the second time this season for violating a team rule.

Earlier in the year he was late to a team bus, but after getting trounced by Montana on Thursday night, Dominguez and Waters failed to make it back to their hotel for curfew, and Bone removed Dominguez from the starting lineup and limited both of the primary ball handlers’ playing time.

The move was costly in the wins-loss column, as the Vikings stumbled to their second consecutive defeat and likely ended any possibility that the squad would claim the conference title outright.

But it was also costly on the court, as the team looked disjointed and confused.

In the waning moments of Sunday’s game, Dominguez found himself on the bench while his teammates each took turns missing big shots that would have swung the momentum toward Portland State’s favor.

Dominguez is not the only one affected by Bone’s pedantic decision. His teammates know what’s going on—that the returning conference MVP and Mr. Big Shot himself may not be the person they want to take the big shots if he can’t keep the same rules that the rest of the team is keeping.

There’s a reason why in sports the most remembered players are not only among the most talented but also the most adept at complying with policy and keeping the rule¬—model citizens, no matter the arena.

This team has leaders. Juniors Tyrell Mara and Julius Thomas are vocal and hard working.

The team has talent. Dominguez, Waters, Coston and Nelson are among the most talented players in the conference. Dominguez and Coston were two of the pillars on the squad that captivated campus last March.

But unless Bone can find a way to get star performances from his leaders, or a leadership presence from his stars, the Vikings struggles may have just begun.