Oaks Christian leads hype-filled game, 32-31, at halftime

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I’m glad my trek out here to Westlake Village wasn’t in vain. So far, the Santa Clara-Oaks Christian matchup is living up to all the hype, and I’m glad because I was one of those guys who’s been textually fueling all that hype.

Thanks to the efforts of junior forward James Wilder, the Saints overcame an off-and-on first quarter performance to only trail the Lions, 32-31, at halftime. Through 16 minutes, Wilder has scored 14 points and has been dominant inside the paint, helping the Saints grab a few small leads in the second quarter.

Santa Clara has a slight speed advantage thanks to its quick feet and even quicker passes, but Oaks Christian has had better shooting on the perimeter.

Tyler McGrath leads Oaks Christian with 16 points -- including two three-pointers.

Getting back to all the hype in this one, I know Oak Park and Carpinteria have solid squads this year, but Santa Clara and Oaks Christian look like the cream of the Tri-Valley League crop. I think as long as these teams play to their capabilities, the Saints and Lions each have a great shot at the league title.

-- Austin Knoblauch

-- Image from www.jupiterimages.com