The departure of longtime varsity standout Jake Martinez was a big blow to the Oakdale High School boys basketball program. But while players stepped in to fill his role in the post, Oakdale senior Vince Fauria blossomed into a key role in Oakdale’s frontcourt.
He earns Athlete of the Week honors for his efforts on behalf of the Mustangs.
Fauria’s ball handling and clever command of the Oakdale offense has been a big part of the 2011-12 season so far, and he’s shown improved accuracy from the three-point arc to expose opposing defenses this season. He scored 11 points in a hard-fought 53-45 loss to Sierra on Jan. 10. The game was the closest an opposing team has come to beating Sierra (13-2) in 10 straight games.