Six games into the season the Oakdale Warriors are poised to eclipse their win total from last season. The team won seven games last season and now have a record of 4-2. "It would be great to have more than seven wins before Christmas break," said head coach Dustin Howard. "We have a shot, but we have work to do."
After winning the first game of the season against Basile, the team suffered a 72-45 loss at Avoyelles Charter in Mansura on December 1. They rebounded the next night in their home opener and garnered a 61-58 win against Lake Charles College Prep. "Crazy home game tonight," said Howard. "Huge win!"
Howard continued, "A game like that shows the progress our young team is already making. Being able to finish a game like that which went down to the wire means we grew up a little, very valuable experience."
A week later the Warriors went 2-1 at home and started the week with a 65-55 win against Vinton in front of a packed house. "The crowd at the Vinton game was amazing," Howard said. "Our student section was great. It really was a great basketball environment."
Brandon Berry provided all the Lions' offense scoring 9 points to begin the game. James Evins scored cutting into the Lion lead, and Guillory then tied it up at 10 and stole the ball away to score for the 12-10 lead. Berry sank another three to quiet the Warrior crowd, but the crowd roared back as Guillory hit a three ball from long range as the clock expired on the opening quarter.
Guillory in the second quarter scored an acrobatic layup giving his team 25 points, then he pushed the lead to nine at 31-22. Vinton went on a 6-2 scoring run coming out the gate of the second half and went on a 6-4 scoring run that has the score 39-34. Oakdale lead 43-39 heading into the last eight minutes of regulation and held on for the win.
"We started the game a little slow defensively, but a good run in the second quarter gave us a little cushion going into half," Howard said. "We came out the second half and took control of the game. We took enough of a lead into the 4th that we were able to withstand a couple of Vinton runs to finish the game."
Two nights later Howard's team picked up a win against the Montgomery Tigers 71-64. "Montgomery was a team that beat us last year at their place, so just like the Vinton game, this was one the players wanted to win," Howard said.
Guillory started the game with an effortless floating three ball from the top of the key, and Malcolm Pugh added back-to-back threes to go up 9-2. Oakdale added six quick points in the waning moments of the first quarter. Pugh scored a three pointer on a fake move to go up 23-15, and Guillory added another three giving his team more separation between them and. Montgomery. At the half the Warriors lead 29-20.
Montgomery matched Oakdale score for score in the early moments of the second half. A voice cries out in the stands "Kyris with the move" as he found his way to the basket for the score. Both teams scored 20 points in the third quarter, and it ended with Oakdale up by nine points at 49-40. Montgomery began the final eight minutes with a basket from beyond the arc, but Oakdale banked three baskets from beyond the arc including two from Josh McDaniel. Montgomery scored a layup as time expired, but Oakdale held on to earn the W by the final score 71-64.
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