St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball squad secures first win of the season

TUSCOLA - The St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball team notched its first win of the season Tuesday night, defeating Tuscola 38-30 in a hard-fought road game. The Spartans used a strong second-half surge to seize control after a tightly contested opening.

The Spartans (1-3) were paced by standout Kayla Osterbur, who delivered a game-high 17 points, including nine in a decisive fourth-quarter performance. Timera Blackburn-Kelley added nine points, while Hayden Dahl provided a crucial spark off the bench, sinking four of six free throws en route to seven points. Contributions from Addie Brooks and Katie Ericksen rounded out the Spartans’ balanced attack.

Tuscola (2-3) held a slim 7-5 lead at the end of the first quarter and remained in front by a point at halftime, 16-15. Ava Boyer led the Warriors with 15 points, while Reese Davis added six. However, Tuscola struggled to maintain momentum as St. Joseph-Ogden turned up the defensive intensity in the second half.

The third quarter saw the Spartans shift gears, holding the Warriors to just five points while gaining a 24-21 lead. Key three-pointers from Osterbur and Dahl, combined with Blackburn-Kelley’s field goal and plus one free throw, fueled the rally. In the final period, the Spartans found their offensive rhythm, tallying their highest-scoring quarter with 14 points to seal the win.

Looking ahead, and still on the road, St. Joseph-Ogden faces Oakwood (2-5) on Wednesday before hosting their first home game of the season Thursday against Danville.

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