The newly combined Royal Oak High School held their gym dedication last Thursday night.
Then the Dragons promptly ran the Ravens right out of it.
Let’s put it this way: 23 points were scored in the first quarter, but only one team improved on the zero they had prior to tip-off.
A 37-4 halftime score was even more disheartening for Royal Oak fans in the OAA crossover matchup.
The high school, which is a combination of the old Dondero and Kimball schools located on the Kimball grounds, would have needed both teams on the court just to keep pace with Lake Orion.
Needless to say, the Dragons cruised to a 66-14 victory while a running clock was instituted in the second half.
Cortney Kimmel led LO with 15 points and Cara Booker added nine, as everyone of the 11 Dragons found the scoring column.
‘It’s a refreshing feeling, like getting your first hit or scoring your first touchdown,? Coach Steve Roberts said of some Dragons notching their first varsity level hoop.
‘To have balance like that shows a great team effort,? he added, noting that each player contributes to the team in more ways than just scoring baskets.
‘We created numerous turnovers in the first half that turned into points,? the coach said.
Roberts praised his squad’s good shot selection, which was aided by many easy lay-ups in the early going.
‘We kept building on that early momentum,? he said.
The Dragon defense wasn’t that bad on the rare occasion when Royal Oak didn’t turn it over. The Ravens shot just 2-for-31 as a team, or about six percent, from the field.
Lake Orion, on the other hand, shot well over 50 percent as a team.
Roberts said LO’s lopsided performance should help them with more competitive battles later in the season.
The Dragons have a pair of home games this week, their first of the season, and Roberts said the team (now 2-1) is looking forward to some home cooking.