Through eight games, the Oakton Cougars have demonstrated their fast-paced, three-point shooting offense and full-court pressing and trapping defense can be quite effective.
A 7-1 record is the proof.
The big question for the girls high-school basketball team is whether that approach will work well against the better teams. The reviews were mixed against one of those squads – the host South County Stallions – after a 50-44 Dec. 19 loss, the Cougars’ lone setback so far.
Oakton didn’t shoot well (33 percent overall), was badly outrebounded (37 to 23) by the taller Stallions, and made just 3 of 17 three-pointers.
The Cougars’ smothering late-game press was very effective, however. The defense caused multiple turnovers and sparked a rally from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to pull Oakton within 46-43 with possession of the ball with seconds left.
After a timeout to set up a potential tying basket, an Oakton turnover, leading to a three-point play by South County’s Laila Tull with 21 seconds left, sealed the win for the Stallions.
The Cougars had seven steals in the final period.
“We have to figure out when is the best time to use that press because it can be so tiring for our players,” Oakton coach Fred Priester said. “We can’t use it the whole game, but it worked well in the fourth quarter.”
The coach said Oakton plays the fast-pace, pressing style because it gives the smaller and athletic Cougars the best chance to have an advantage. The approach also causes Oakton to use a lot of players in games to keep them fresh. Eleven played against South County.
Oakton led a couple of times early against South County (6-2), but wasn’t ahead again after trailing 31-24 at halftime.
Sophomore guard Sophie Toole did not have her best shooting game, but still led Oakton in scoring with 14 points to go with seven rebounds, four steals, a tieup and two defensive deflections. Freshman forward Jocelynn Kinlaw had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds along with two assists and two steals.
Sophomore guard Brooke Chang scored 10 points and had three steals, and Reema Yaghi had four points, three steals and two rebounds. Returning starter Finley Tarr had four points and four steals, and Kara Bumbary had a couple of rebounds, a block and one assist off the bench.
Tull led South County with 20 points.
In earlier games this season, Tarr made a walk-off winning three-pointer in a victory over Yorktown and Toole had 30 points, nine rebounds and multiple assists and steals in another contest.
Toole and Tarr are returning starters from last season’s Oakton team that won the Concorde District tournament, then finished second in the 6D North Region tourney. Chang and Yaghi were top subs last winter.
