The boys basketball clash between two unbeaten teams — Bellevue Christian and South Whidbey — Friday, Dec. 20, lost some of its luster when the visiting Falcons showed up short-handed and lost 59-39.

South Whidbey played without one of its biggest weapons, 6-7 Carson Wrightson, a three-year starter and all-conference player, who was injured. Key reserve, 6-4 Kole Nelson, also missed the game with an injury.

To make matters worse, two starters, Nick Young and Sterling Patton, were “battling the flu,” according to coach Greg Turcott.

And to top it off, the Falcons simply did not play “very well,” according to Turcott.

South Whidbey, ranked 10th by the state RPI, suffered it first loss in seven games. Bellevue Christian, No. 1 in RPI, rose to 6-0.

The Falcons finish up the non-league portion of their schedule when they host Friday Harbor (3-4) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, and travel to Anacortes (3-4) at 7:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30.

In the first quarter of the Bellevue Christian game, South Whidbey’s Jacob Ng scored 5 points, including a 3-ball, and Patton added a 3-pointer, but the Falcons fell behind 15-10.

The Vikings exploded for 23 second-period points, while South Whidbey tallied only 11, getting 5 from Patton and 4 from Levi Buck.

BC led 38-21 at the break.

The Falcons hung with the Vikings in the second half but couldn’t cut into the deficit.

South Whidbey limited Bellevue Christian to 10 points in the third quarter but scored just 8 itself as Young and Buck each scored twice.

Young, Patton and Buck all finished with 10 points. Ng had 5, Dexter Jokinen 2 and Cody Eager 2.

Only five Vikings scored, but three finished in double figures: Malcolm Schiltz 18, Elliot Hohman 16 and Jared Whitton 12.