A stellar performance from Dan Daviess paced DVC to a win over Modesto 72-62 on Tuesday. 

Daviess scored 16 of his game-high 25 in the second half as the Vikings opened up the game and pulled away from Modesto. 

“I think they wore down,” said Coach Steve Coccimiglio. “We are a good defensive team. We are No. 1 out of 93 in points allowed per game by a good margin.” 

The Vikings’ leading scorer, Jordan Fillmore, finished the game with just three points, after getting into foul trouble early on. 

Fillmore went down with an apparent knee injury one minute into the second half. Although he returned to the court five minutes later he was never 100 percent during the rest of the game. 

But DVC got productive minutes from Gary Pinkney who added 15 points, 11 coming on free throws late in the game. Anthony Turner pitched in with 14. 

The biggest play came with 2:19 left in the game, when Daviess hit a three in the corner while being fouled, He hit the free throw to complete the four-point play and stretch the DVC lead to six. 

The second half was a back-and- forth battle, with the teams trading buckets, neither one able to extend a lead above four until the two-minute mark. 

Modesto kept up with the Vikings most of the game, thanks to the lights-out shooting of freshman Brett Sayad, who scored 20 in the game. 

Modesto played its first game without the state’s leading scorer, Sam Yeager, who was averaging over 24 points per game, but was dismissed from the team early in the week.

“We knew they were going to be a together group,” said Coach Coccimiglio, “because he’s been a distraction for them, even though he’s been averaging 24 points per game.” 

DVC then traveled to Sierra on Thursday and emerged victorious 74-64. 

With the wins against Modesto and Sierra, the Vikings have pushed their way into a tie for second place in the Big 8 Conference with Cosumnes River. 

DVC plays host to Cosumnes River on Tuesday, in a match-up that will determine second place in the Big 8.