Oakwood Gives Boron a Fond Farewell, 57-45

Amid the gleeful celebration surrounding her team’s 57-45 semifinal win over Boron High, Oakwood Coach Roz Goldenberg found truth in an age-old children’s taunt.

“I told you so,” a smiling Goldenberg said to onlookers.

And just what had she told them?

Before the Southern Section Small Schools Division semifinal playoff game at Tehachapi High, Goldenberg had written on her clipboard, “David is the key.”

The David she was referring to was David Fond, Oakwood’s 6-5 senior center. That Goldenberg had labeled him as the key seemed, to say the least, odd.

After all, another Oakwood player, Mitchell Butler, was coming off a 50-point performance in the quarterfinals. Certainly, logic would suggest pinning Butler as the key.

Alas, Goldenberg showed why she is the one carrying the clipboard as Fond scored 8 points during a 15-2 run late in the third quarter that boosted Oakwood (24-2) from a slim 32-29 lead into a comfy 47-31 advantage with 7:11 left.

Fond finished with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.

“I got a spurt of energy,” Fond said between high-fives. “Most of it came from the confidence my teammates have in me.”

Yet for all Fond’s heroics, for all his spin moves to the basket and two-foot bank shots in his 12-point second half, he surrendered scoring honors to Butler.

Neither Butler, who wound up with 29 points, 14 rebounds, 5 steals, 2 blocks and 3 assists, nor Fond seemed to mind too much, though. They had other things on their mind. Namely Friday’s championship game against the winner of tonight’s game between Cate and Hesperia Christian.

“Dave came out and did what he had to do,” a beaming Butler said. “He’s shown that he can do it all season.”

For a while, though, it looked as if memories of the season were all Oakwood would be left with.

With a noisy contingent of fans cheering its every move, Boron (14-10) bored holes repeatedly in the Oakwood defense. And when Kevin Hoyt knocked home two free throws with 2:25 left in the first half, Boron held a 22-20 lead.

The Boron lead served as a kick in the pants to Oakwood, which promptly ran off eight points in a row to close out the half.

And when Boron shaved Oakwood’s lead to three points in the third quarter at 32-29, Fond took his cue.

And Oakwood took its place in the championship game.

Meanwhile, Boron took its place back on the Periodic Table of the Elements.

The win, of course, takes on special meaning to an Oakwood team that lost in last year’s semifinal game. “It feels great,” Fond said. “I’m looking forward to making that No. 1 seed come true.”

Butler echoed Fond’s sentiments. Literally.

“It feels great,” he said. “I didn’t know it was going to feel this good.”

How about you, Roz?

“I’m still a little angry about some fundamental mistakes we made,” she said. “It’s those little things that make me angry.”

Just like a coach. Which goes to show why she’s the one carrying the clipboard.