By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometdaily.com
Girls’ and boys’ basketball teams from St. Joseph-Ogden and Oakwood each opened the week with victories.
Oakwood also earned the No. 1 seed for both the boys’ and girls’ Vermilion County Tournament, which starts on Saturday in Danville.
Boys’ basketball
The Spartans (10-8) used a season-high 21 points from Joel Orcutt on Tuesday to handle visiting Villa Grove/Heritage, 58-52.
Orcutt is the third SJ-O player to eclipse the 20-point mark in a game this season.
Chance Izard drained all four of his team’s three-pointers and added 16 points for SJ-O.
Orcutt and Braydon Rupert led the way on the boards with eight and seven rebounds, respectively.
Keanen Swanson handed out a team-high four assists.
SJ-O outscored the Hawks by three points in each half.
For VG/H (13-5), Jared Stevens and Will Wilson each notched 15 points. Evan Wilson added 10 points.
SJ-O returns to action on Friday with a home game against Teutopolis.
VG/H returns to action on Friday with a home game against Cerro Gordo/Bement.
Oakwood
The Comets (10-7) allowed just six second-half field goals and turned a five-point lead at the break into a 20-point conquest of Salt Fork, 58-38, on Tuesday.
Zane Priest scored nine of his team-high 18 points in the third period.
Trevan Garrett tallied 15 points for Oakwood, which hit 4-of-4 free throws. Noah Ruch added eight points.
Oakwood returns to action on Tuesday against Georgetown-Ridge Farm in the Vermilion County Tournament at Danville’s Palmer Arena. Game time is 8 p.m.
Girls’ basketball
The Spartans stayed in the Class 2A state rankings, sharing the No. 9 position this week.
SJ-O led Unity 10-9, after one quarter on Monday, but had a double-figure led by halftime en route to a 59-27 triumph over the visiting Unity Rockets.
Peyton Crowe scored nine of her team-high 20 points in the third quarter.
Bree Trimble tallied 13 points and Hannah Dukeman added 12.
The Spartans connected on 15 of 17 free throws.
SJ-O returns to action tonight at Prairie Central, trying to continue a winning streak that is at three games.
Oakwood
Katelyn Young and Kylie Neuman teamed up to score 38 first-half points on Monday as the Comets (16-5) blitzed visiting Hoopeston Area 59-27.
By coincidence, the same two teams will play next Monday in the Vermilion County Tournament at Danville’s Palmer Arena. Game time is 8 p.m.
Oakwood led, 26-6, after one quarter and 44-13 at halftime.
Young amassed 26 points. Neuman finished with 18. Aaliyah Denius chipped in with eight points.
Oakwood returns to action tonight at home against Salt Fork.
Villa Grove/Heritage
Kyleigh Block scored 17 of her season-high 27 points in the second quarter on Tuesday as VG/Heritage won at Chrisman, 65-36.
Aliya Holloman hit 24 points, marking the eighth time this season she has surpassed 20 points in a game. She had eight of her points during the team’s 29-point second quarter.
VG/H led, 46-16, at halftime.
VG/H (14-5) returns to action tonight at Hutsonville.
