After establishing a quick lead, boys varsity basketball lost some ground to Fox, but ultimately remained ahead until the end of the match.

In an action-packed game, the tigers established their position with a score of 31-11 at the end of the first quarter. A strong offense allowed lots of scoring and caused the crowd to go wild.

“I think we started out great against Fox, and the crowd… brought a lot of energy for us,” varsity player Josh Kuntze (12) said.

Things got heated as the game went on, with 8 home fouls and 5 Fox fouls before the end of the first half. Regardless, the tigers held their position, ending the second quarter with a score of 38-17.

The second half of the game was not so decided. Fox players were determined to give OHS a good fight, and by the end of Q3, the score was more closely matched at 49-42.

“We sort of lost focus down the stretch in the second half and we lost the lead,” Kuntze said.

With more fouls came more free throws, and the tigers took every opportunity they could to stay ahead of the game. After a few close calls, OHS won the game at 51-42, without ever letting Fox’s score get ahead.

“At the end, teamwork and the will to win as a team helped us pull out a close win,” Kuntze said. “It was an ugly win, but a win nonetheless.”

The next varsity game will take place at Hazelwood Central on January 7.