The 2017-2018 Oakdale boys basketball league season is off to a shaky start for the varsity team. Oakdale (5-9, 0-2) began Valley Oak League play on the road against Kimball (8-7, 1-1) on Wednesday, Jan. 3 with a 66-53 loss and followed up with a 74-38 home loss to Weston Ranch (10-3, 2-0) on Friday, Jan. 5.
In the road loss to Kimball, Oakdale kept it close in the first half as they went into halftime down 29-22. The Mustangs were led by center Sam Medlin who scored 22 points in the losing effort. On Friday night the team welcomed the Cougars in the home opener. The Mustangs fell behind early and did little on offense to keep them in the game. Oakdale trailed 30-14 at the half and trailed 55-25 after the third quarter.
Drew Legan scored a team high 11 points for Oakdale, while Medlin followed up his big performance with a six point effort. Despite the two losses, the basketball season is far from over and the Mustangs look to get back on track this week with a pair of games. On Wednesday, Jan. 10 Oakdale will host East Union (4-11, 0-2) with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Last season the Mustangs defeated the Lancers at home in a thrilling 69-65 double overtime victory; it was the team’s lone Valley Oak League win of the season. On Friday the team will travel to Lathrop to take on the Spartans (4-10, 1-1).
JUNIOR VARSITY
In a physical game that appeared to get away from the officiating crew, Oakdale fell to Weston Ranch 65-49 in front of the home crowd. Players from both teams, coaches and their fans expressed their displeasure over the two game officials that allowed dangerous collisions, elbows and other flagrant plays to get out of hand. Most notably came when Dominic Antinetti caught an elbow to the nose and began to bleed in the fourth quarter. The two officials failed to blow their whistles after the incident, causing both Oakdale and Weston Ranch coaches and teams to take it upon themselves to stop the game while Antinetti cleaned himself up. Jonah Norman scored 11 points in the game for Oakdale and Kaleb McDonald led the team with 13 points. Two days prior to their home loss, Oakdale fell to Kimball 65-53. Norman scored a team high 20 points. Oakdale hosts East Union on Wednesday, Jan. 10 with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and hit the road for a showdown against Lathrop on Friday night also scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
FRESHMEN
The young team bounced back from their Grace Davis holiday tournament meltdown and has gotten its Valley Oak League season off to a 2-0 start. Oakdale defeated Kimball on Wednesday, Jan. 3 in double overtime 59-53. Carson Cripe led the team with 16 points that evening. Oakdale carried their momentum over to their home opener against Weston Ranch where the freshmen ran away with a 52-36 victory over the Cougars. Oakdale had three players in double figures; Gage Brink and Cripe each scored 10 and Robert Silva led the team with 14 points. Oakdale looks to continue their impressive start when they host East Union on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 4 p.m. and Friday they head to Lathrop with tipoff scheduled for 4 p.m.
