On Wednesday December 15, 2021, the Oakdale High School JV Boys Basketball team faced off against Manchester Valley. It was their season opener and the audience was excited to see some new players on the court. In the past, the JV team has been sensational and electrifying to watch. This year, with their new 6’5” Max McFarland, they’re more attention-grabbing than ever, and on Wednesday, the team showed just how good they can be.

Right from the tip-off, Oakdale put up aggressive defense and exhausted the Manchester Valley team on offense. In the first quarter, McFarland scored six points and grabbed three rebounds, along with one block that initiated a fastbreak play to get the team energized. 

 Starting point guard, Jordan Cherry, was ecstatic about the team’s performance, stating: “ I feel great. We played hard out there and I’m glad we were able to win. We did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game, and as a point guard the responsibility to control the offense is on me, so yeah I think we did good.”

In the second and third quarters, Oakdale’s backcourt and wing players went on a three-point barrage, sinking shot after shot and managing to still keep up a high energy on defense. Small forward Harrison Tisdale sank two mid-range jump shots in the middle of the second quarter. 

In the third quarter, Manchester Valley tried to show some heart and start a comeback, but with a minute left to go in the third, Tisdale made a tough contested three to put the nail in the coffin and lock the game away for good.

McFarland was asked how he thought the game set the tone for the rest of the season, to which he replied, “It was good to start off with a win, especially the way we beat them. I feel like we showed that we have potential and we can keep winning.”

To start the fourth quarter, Manchester Valley played suffocating defense and was able to maintain their level of play for the rest of the quarter. Throughout the whole period, Oakdale was held to a mere five points, while Manchester Valley managed to score 11. However, it was too late by this point, as Oakdale had already sealed a victory.

Throughout the whole game, Oakdale showed amazing teamwork and seamless ball movement, showing they have what it takes to have a winning season and make noise in the playoffs. When asked what his goals were for the rest of the season, Cherry expressed: “Less turnovers, and just keep winning. For me, I’d say just being a better ball handler.” 

Even though Oakdale started their first game with a win, there is still many more to come. There is always room for improvement, even from such a potential-loaded team such as this.