Osbourn Park Beats Woodbridge Senior Night, 67-65

On Senior Night, Osbourn Park's two seniors carried the team against a feisty Woodbridge Vikings squad. Both teams were riding at least a five-game losing streak and were hoping to end the season on a high note.

Osbourn Park was minus two of their starters, the Smith brothers, who were inactive due to injury. As a result, the Yellow Jackets'  bench was very thin and even featured some members of the J.V. squad. 

The lack of players led Coach Lake to hold a substitution until mid-way through the second quarter. Meanwhile, Woodbridge Coach Chad Anderson cycled in all nine of his active players on a regular basis, almost like line-mates in hockey. 

The first half featured an epic duel between shooters on each team. Both Darius Parson for Woodbridge and Hunter Lake for Osbourn Park connected on four three-pointers in the half, trading blows with one another in an attempt to gain the lead.

Lake was more of the conservative spot-up shooter, hiding in the corners and waiting for a great pass to let one fly. Parson, on the other hand,  was determined to make his shots usually pulling the trigger when realizing the defense was playing a little too off on him. Osbourn Park went into the half with a 30-25 lead.

The game turned on the Yellow Jackets when leading scorer and rebounder, Brandon Jenkins began getting into foul trouble late in the third quarter. With Jenkins on the bench for the start of the fourth quarter with four fouls, Woodbridge took advantage of this and began going on a run that ultimately gave them a 53-50 lead.

Coach Lake had seen enough and risked Jenkins fouling out and put him back in with 5:14 remaining in the game. The very next Jacket possession, Jenkins converted a three-point play to tie the game. 

Jenkins was still limited with his four fouls and wasn't able to be as tenacious on the defensive end as he's used to. Because of this, Woodbridge continued to work the ball inside the paint to stay in the game.

Jenkins drew a game-changing charging foul with just over a minute to go to keep it a one-possession game.

Woodbridge took a 65-63 lead with just over 10 seconds left. Osbourn Park guard Justin Carolina pushed the ball up court and drove into the lane and was fouled with 9.2 seconds remaining. He made both clutch free throws to tie the game.

But it was what happened next that gave Osbourn Park the big win on a big night: Woodbridge had possession of the ball and tried to pass it to Parson at mid-court with around 5 seconds left. That's when Yellow Jacket Senior Brandon Jenkins, playing in his last game of his high school career, jumped into the passing lane and stole the ball.

Jenkins made a mad dash to the basket and laid the ball with no time remaining. Osbourn Park won 67-65.

Here are the stand-out players for Osbourn Park:

• Brandono Jenkins (senior):  24 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
• Hunter Lake (senior):  12 points
• Justin Carolina: 15 points and 8 rebounds
• Neil Rosenberg had eight  points  and Anthony Matteks had 5 assists.

As for the Vikings, Darius Parson led the team with 23 points, including five from long range and a fast-break dunk in the second quarter. Corey Taylor had a solid game with 11 points and seven rebounds. Barba Kargbo contributed as well with 13 points and four rebounds.

Add it all up and it was a thrilling 67-65 win for Osbourn Park to end the season for both teams.