O'HARA 80 CENTER 75

O’HARA TAKES OVER FIRST PLACE IN WCC WITH 80-75 VICTORY In a make-up game played on February 2nd, the O’Hara Celtics basketball team won a hard fought 80-75 game with the Center Yellowjackets. Both teams were vying for first place in the West Central Conference. The game was closer than the score indicates. At first the Celtics had the upper hand never trailing throughout the first quarter and ahead with a 25-19 score. 13 of O’Hara’s points in the quarter were scored by TJ White who completed the game with a total of 29 points. In the first half of the second quarter, the Celtics went up by 10 when the score reached 38-28. The apparent comfortable lead was then wiped out as the Yellowjackets rallied for the next 11 points and took a one point lead. But by halftime, the Celtics were back on top but only by 44-41. Partway into the third quarter the Yellowjackets were down 52-46 when they made another unanswered run, this time of 13 points along with their second lead of the contest. Their largest lead was eight points when they had a 62-54 advantage. When the fourth quarter began, the visitors were ahead 62-59 O’Hara began to whittle away on this score until Mark Braden’s two free throws tied up the game at 66-66 with four minutes of playing time to go. Anthony Rule, the Yellowjackets’ tall center, left the game on fouls with just over three and a half minutes remaining, and Eric Austin had to take over the inside baskets for Center. Just under three minutes, the Celtics pulled ahead 71-70 on Mark Braden’s basket, and although the game remained close to the end, the Celtics did not relinquish the slim lead. The next basket for O’Hara was scored by TJ White for a three point lead. Finally, with the clock showing 26 seconds and O’Hara on top 76-75, Greg Cason had a one-and-one opportunity but missed. Dominique Fields and TJ White on a basket and two free throws completed the evening’s scoring. Only five O’Hara players scored in the game. In addition to TJ White’s 29 points, Mark Braden had 22, Dominique Fields had 15, sophomore JeVon Lyle had 11, and Joe Pepple had 3. In the JV game preceding the varsity game, the Celtics held on to win by an even closer margin 60-58.