As Coaches will tell you regularly, each night is no more special than the next. Every game is special because it is THIS game. But on Tuesday night at Oak Hill, it was special. It was different. It was Senior Night 2023-24. For Oak Hill, it’s a big night since there are no Friday Night Lights, Basketball is it. Yes, there are a number of other sports and yes, they have passionate fan bases, but in an intimate setting like the Oak Hill gym that is packed EVERY game, not just big games, but EVERY game, it makes for even more passion. You will find fans filtering into the gym by 4:30 for a 6 pm start. And that’s for the Girl’s game. Look, before you tell me I’m rude by saying it’s “just for the Girl’s game”, understand the amount of coverage we dedicate to Girl’s sports, and you will see we are solid promotors of the ladies. But growing up, it was only the parents that showed up for the girls’ games. If they showed up.

But Class B & C is different. EXTREMELY different. Oak Hill, and all of District 4-B for that matter, sends fan base passion through the roof. It is family and everyone knows everyone. They love their players, they love their teams, and they love their Coaches. And on Tuesday night they showed up to show love for their two Seniors from the Lady Rams, Krystina Greene and Alexis Dyer. These two ladies didn’t disappoint as Greene scored 20 and Dyer chipped in 10 points and 4 rebounds to help propel Oak Hill to a 51-15 Halftime lead. In a game that was in command early, the Lady Rams had the clock running in the second quarter due to the LHSAA 35 point “clock rule”.

But it wasn’t just points and rebounds from the two. It is leadership and mentorship and all the other ” ‘ships ” you can mention that have the Lady Rams looking for a repeat Championship season. When these two are on the floor they are leading with their actions on the court. They are leaving a legacy for Coach Kaci West and all of those to follow. They play the game the right way, with intensity up and down the court from start to finish, from tipoff to final buzzer.

In post-game interviews it feels as if I am interviewing assistant coaches and not players. They speak of the games in ways that it is clear to see why they have the success that they do.

And it doesn’t go unnoticed. You see the style of play resonate through the younger players and can see that they all play with that intensity. The intensity that is crafted and demanded from their Head Coach.

Folks in Cenla will continue to see Dyer play as she is an LSUA Lady Generals signee. Coach Perkins, you are getting a good one in #54. If it were me, I would do what I could to get #1 there, too. But, before they go off to college, there are 4 more games. FOUR more.

I am grateful I got to cover the Lady Rams this season and am really looking forward to their Playoff run and a chase for the 2024 title. And you can follow it here. Until then, thanks for the love for 446Sports, thanks for the cool Oak Hill shirt, and thanks for the Dr Pepper Icees.