By Fred Kroner
Oakwood’s eighth-grade boys’ basketball team split its first four games after the calendar flipped to 2024.
In the Vermilion County Tournament, at Salt Fork, Oakwood opened with a 34-27 victory over Hoopeston Area on Thursday (Jan. 4) before dropping decisions to Bismarck-Henning (36-22) on Saturday (Jan. 6) and to Westville (51-44) on Tuesday (Jan. 9).
The team regrouped and earned a 49-40 win at Homer Heritage on Tuesday (Jan. 16).
Against Hoopeston, Drake Roberts led the way with 16 points. Riglee Hart followed with six points. Jaethan Perez tallied five points, Nathan Young hit four points, Lane Stitt added two points and Xander Wilson contributed a free throw.
Against Bismarck-Henning, Perez made a team-best eight points. He was followed by Young (six points), Roberts (five points) and Hart (three points).
Against Westville, Perez notched 15 points. The team’s other point-makers were Roberts (14 points), Hart (seven points), Wilson (four points) and Young (four points).
Against Heritage, Hart achieved a season-high 17 points. Young (12 points) and Stitt (10 points) also registered season-high scoring totals. Roberts scored six points. Perez and Wilson both accounted for two points.
Oakwood (11-8) returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 27) at Tuscola in an IESA Class 3A regional quarterfinal game against fourth-seeded Westville. Oakwood is the No. 5 seed.
Oakwood and Westville split their regular-season games. Both games were settled by seven points, or less.
—
The Oakwood seventh-graders started the 2024 portion of the season with losses to Salt Fork in the Vermilion County Tournament, 48-12, on Wednesday (Jan. 3) and at Homer Heritage on Tuesday (Jan. 16), 43-24.
Bryson Deline scored seven points against Salt Fork. Keatyn Bruens collected three points and Owen Fegett finished with two points.
Against Heritage, Deline tallied a team-best 10 points. Kylar Hartley scored seven points. Bruens totaled five points and Camden Hazelbaker notched the team’s other two points.
Oakwood ended the year with a record of 0-14 after a Class 3A IESA regional quarterfinal loss at Tuscola to the host school, 68-9, on Saturday (Jan. 20).
