Oakville Defeats Lindbergh 53-46, Heated Rivalry Evidenced by Fierce Competition

With two-and-a-half minutes left in the fourth quarter, the officials refereeing the Oakville-Lindbergh game called a timeout. They’d had enough of the shoving and the trash talk. Calling both teams to the center of the court, official John Diffley wanted to say something. “Basically I told them that they needed to settle their emotions. I said ‘It’s senior night and the game is close, and if you get kicked out of this game for doing something silly, you’ll miss a district game. You could cost your team a lot, so let’s calm down and play basketball’.”

It was a bold move, and one that not many high school basketball fans nor players had seen before, but it seemed to pay off; both teams’ subsequent play for the final minutes of the game was much more level-headed. It was a much nicer end to a not-so-nice game of play, and ultimately Oakville, now 10-14, 4-4 in conference, came out on top. The Tigers beat Lindbergh (16-8, 5-3 in conference) 53-46 Friday night, after celebrating senior night in their home gym.

Oakville opened up the game with a basket from senior forward Chloe Wolf during the initial possession, and senior teammate Allison O’Brien made a 3-pointer during their next offensive play. Consecutive jump-shots from Oakville seniors Leslie DeGonia and Audra Plassmeyer then gave the Tigers a 9-3 lead, but Lindbergh made adjustments and kicked up their defense a notch. After the first two minutes, the Flyers found their bearings and fought back, with two steals from senior LaTondra Brooks and one from senior Andrea Klipsch.

Two 3-pointers from Lindbergh senior guard Keonia Blair brought the Flyers right back into the game, and as their offense quickened, the rivalry heated up. 

 Lindbergh Head Coach Bill Thoele was ready for the fierce competition.   “Anytime we play Oakville, it’s going to be a tough, physical game.  That’s the way it is every year,” he said after the game. 

After trading the lead multiple times during the first quarter, Lindbergh had the last possession of the quarter, and with four seconds left, senior guard LaTondra Brooks made a 3-pointer. The Flyers were up 19-17 at the end of the first.

Brooks averages 13.6 points a game, second on her team only to senior Keonia Blair, with 20.1 average points a game.

Unfortunately, a wrist injury after a collision with an opponent in the second quarter would sideline Brooks for the remainder of the game, and potentially the remainder of the season.  

Brooks’ injury jarred the Flyers a bit, and Oakville took advantage of the opportunity. Senior forward Audra Plassmeyer made three consecutive baskets to give the Tigers a 23-21 lead. It didn’t last long, however, because after the initial shock of Brook’s injury, the Flyers wanted that much more to beat Oakville.

Six points from senior Flyer Keonia Blair, all layups through the paint, helped Lindbergh maintain a 29-27 lead over Oakville at the half.   

Blair would score 20 points this game.

The Flyers ran a full-court press for the game’s entirety, and their offense was comprised of quick passes and lane penetration from different players. “We’re a fast-paced team. We play ninety-feet, and we push the ball and get in transition,” Lindbergh Head Coach Bill Thoele commented after the game. “We got slowed down a little bit in the second half. And it doesn’t help losing LaTondra Brooks, one of our better players.”

The Flyers did get slowed down in the second half, as Oakville came out of the locker room firing in the third quarter. Outscoring Lindbergh 16-6, the Tigers' third-quarter play gave them a lead they would keep for the rest of the game.

Senior forward Chloe Wolf had six points this quarter, half of her 12 for the game. Senior guard Allison O’Brien would have another three, shooting 100 percent from the field and totaling nine points for the game, all threes. Thanks to plays like these, the Tigers managed to pull ahead, and at the end of the third they were beating Lindbergh 43-35.

The Flyers kept pushing throughout the fourth quarter, however; the game most definitely wasn’t over yet. Sophomore guard Angela Black had her fourth steal of the game, and then Junior forward Alison Ries had two consecutive layups, driving through the lane.

Ries, averaging 4 points a game for the season, would have 11 in her game against Oakville.

Two 3-pointers from senior Flyer Andrea Klipsch brought Lindbergh within three, and it was here, with the competition so close, that fouls really started flying.

“It’s a pretty heated rivalry. When you play a game like that with so much emotion, when you play that hard, things are going to get shifty. It happens as far as sports,” Oakville Head Coach Aaron Bosch commented after the game. “I just told them over and over again that they needed to keep their heads. I said ‘keep playing basketball like you have been playing all game long, and don’t let them get in your heads’.”

With both teams in the 1-1 bonus, the officials called a 'referee timeout.' Official Mark Rodgers closed the half-court meeting with: “There are two and a half minutes left. Let’s have some good sportsmanship for the rest of the game.”

Both teams took the words to heart, and although still very much a competition, the play on the court was more focused. Oakville went back to basics, with senior Leslie DeGonia making all four of her free throws, and Audra Plassmeyer making three of her four from the line.

Plassmeyer would be the Tiger’s top scorer with 17 points, making this her second consecutive high-scoring game; last Wednesday she scored 27 points against Webster, helping the Tigers to a 52-48 victory.

Oakville slowed the game down and controlled the ball during the final minute, and they ended the game with a 53-46 win over the Flyers. 

Thus, Oakville was able to celebrate both their senior night and a victory. 

This was the final game of the season, and next week districts begin. Lindbergh will see Fox next Tuesday at 5:30.

Oakville will see Mehlville next Tuesday at 4 p.m.