The Lake Orion varsity basketball team got their 2004-05 season off on the right foot, defeating the Romeo Bulldogs, 57-52, on Dec. 7.
Kojo Asiedu started the scoring for the Dragons, who trailed 9-6 after the first quarter. Romeo stretched their lead to 17-10 with 2:45 left in the first half, before Lake Orion responded to tie the game at 17-17 with baskets from Justin Diesbourg, and two from Chris O’Dea, who finished with 11 points.
The third quarter displayed the Dragons? offense capabilities with consecutive baskets from Marc Thompson, who finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
Joe Barnes connected with a basket with four seconds left on the clock to give the Dragons a 34-30 advantage. Barnes led Lake Orion’s scoring with 15 points.
Thompson stole the ball in the bottom of the fourth quarter, and his resulting free throws tied the game at 45-45 with 1:21 left.
Justin Diesbourg, who had six points, blocked Romeo’s final attempt for a victory with two seconds left to put the game into overtime.
Against Auburn Hills Avondale on Dec. 10, Lake Orion fell short, 60-55. O’Dea opened the scoring for the Dragons, and Justin Smith, Brad Neary and Asiedu all scored, resulting in a 10-6 lead for Orion.
Avondale then went on to score 10 unanswered points, and the Dragon offense continued to struggle in the second quarter.
Avondale stretched their lead to 20-10, before O’Dea scored 10 straight points.
A Thompson to Diesbourg lay-up cut Avondale’s lead to 25-24, before Avondale completed two free throws to end the first half.
In the second half, Neil Medchill, recovering from a broken nose, battled on the offensive boards for the Dragons, and the third quarter ended with Orion trailing 41-38.
Barnes had a 3-pointer with 1:27 remaining in the game, and Neary had a lay-up with an assist from Smith, then finished the scoring with a 3-point shot.
O’Dea led the Dragons in scoring with 22 and eight rebounds, while Neary had nine points and three steals.
Thompson had eight points and three steals, while Medchill finished with eight rebounds.