Oakville Girls Snare First Conference Win

After a week of snow, ice and school closings, the Oakville and Fox girls varsity basketball teams resumed their normal schedules on Friday night to play a Suburban West Conference matchup.

Oakville ended its five-game losing streak with a 64-38 victory at home over the Fox Warriors. The Tigers are now 6-12, and 1-3 in the conference.

The “winter snowpocalypse,” as dubbed by Fox head coach Jeremy Donald, did have some detrimental effects on the basketball squads. “We got to practice yesterday, but that was after six days off,” Donald said after the game.

Six days without playing basketball is a long stretch in the middle of the season, and the lack of practice was noticeable in both teams. Fox (5-14, 0-5) and Oakville each looked sluggish at the beginning of the game, with plenty of missed shots and turnovers.

After three minutes of play, Oakville senior forward Chloe Wolf scored the first basket of the game from the field (Fox had two prior free throws, Oakville had four). From there, things heated up on both ends, starting most visibly with the Tigers’ defense. Oakville ran a tight full-court press and forced numerous Fox turnovers. Oakville had 11 steals for the game, led by senior Leslie DeGonia with four.

DeGonia also was the Tigers’ high scorer, with 22 points. Five of those came from one play; during the second quarter she was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer. She made the basket and then made her two free throws.

Once they were warmed up, the Tigers played a well-balanced game with multiple players contributing.  DeGonia was followed by senior Julie Kernen with 11 points, and senior Chloe Wolf with eight. Kernon and Wolf both average 8 points a game.

Ultimately, 10 of the 12 varsity Tigers scored baskets, and the Warriors were having trouble answering. “They made more shots than we did,” Donalds said after the game. “We had a chance there and brought it within 14, but they just made more shots.”

The Warriors offense did not play as poorly as their final tally would indicate. Patient and deliberate play is “characteristic of this team,” Donald said, and overall the slow pace of the game was offset by the Warriors’ quick cross-court passing. Fox waited for the right shots, but the baskets didn’t fall.

It was quite a different story for Oakville, which went on an 11-point run early in the fourth quarter. Fox’s Erin Birschbach, a freshman guard, stopped that run with a basket, but the game had been decided by that point.

Two seniors were the Warriors high scorers as forward Monica Mays had nine points and guard Amanda Lee had six (two 3-pointers).

Coach Donald isn’t discouraged. “I’m happy with the way we played tonight. We just needed to make more shots,” he said.

Oakville will next play at Mehlville on Tuesday.