TWIN TOWERS—Oaks Christian’s Dillon Van Der Wal, right, leaps for a rebound against Santa Clara. Van Der Wal, a junior, is one of two 6-foot-7 centers on the roster. Senior Stephen Saksa is the other. IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers Big in the paint, uber-athletic on the wing and deadly running the fast break—the Oaks Christian boys’ basketball team can dominate an opponent in an assortment of ways.

Outstanding roster balance and versatility throughout the lineup has once again allowed the defending league champion Lions to rise to the top of the TriValley League standings with only a week remaining in the regular season.

The league crown, in fact, will all but be decided when Oaks Christian travels to Oak Park on Friday for a 7 p.m. grudge match.

The two squads entered Wednesday’s TVL action separated by one game in the standings—the Lions were 7-0 and Oak Park was 6-1.

Oaks Christian defeated the Eagles, 66-60, on Jan. 20 at home.

“Every game is big, but Oak Park is our rival, and there are a lot of bragging rights, especially with the title on the line,” Lion junior guard Blair Holliday said.

“But the truth is, we want to win every game we play.”

One look at the stat sheet tells the story for Oaks Christian, ranked No. 1 in the latest CIFSouthern Section Division 4A coaches’ poll.

Prior to Wednesday’s game at Malibu, the Lions (15-7 overall) were averaging a league-best 68.9 points per game and had scored 75 or more points nine times, including a pair of games with more than 90 points.

Yet, despite the team’s gaudy offensive output, there are no superstars on the Lions’ roster.

Sophomore point guard Chass Bryan is the team leader with 15 points and four assists per contest.

Dillon Van Der Wal, a 6-foot-7 junior center, is the only other OCHS player averaging double-digits in scoring at 10.9 points per outing.

Of the remaining Lion players, five average more than six points a game, including Holliday (9.6), junior guard Taylor Hange (9.2), senior forward Spencer Kier (8.9), junior guard Jono Wening (7.3) and senior center Stephen Saksa (6.4).

“It’s the same old story,” said Oaks Christian head coach Tom Roanhaus, now in his fifth season with the varsity program. “If we just figure out who the open guy is and throw him the ball and not worry about who gets the score, then we are really good.

“This is a very prolific team, the most prolific offensive team that I’ve had in my time at the school.”

Bryan, the sophomore point guard, is the engine that powers the speedboat. His ability to penetrate a defense and dish off to a free man opens up the entire offense. And when the Lions need points, Bryan is more than capable of filling up the basket from long distance.

“I want to get my teammates involved in the offense first,” said Bryan, a two-year varsity member. “Then, during the last few minutes of every quarter, I try to get myself involved. If I get going offensively, I know my teammates will get me the ball.”

If Bryan is the catalyst, then Holliday is the team’s heartbeat.

The 6-foot-4 junior guard contributes across the board, be it by scoring points, grabbing rebounds, divvying up assists or plucking away steals.

“Blair Holliday doesn’t care about anything but winning,” the coach said. “It’s true in our practices and our biggest games.

“It’s not about him scoring all the time. It’s not uncommon for him to have six to eight points and seven rebounds and five assists and six steals. That stuff adds up. He’s a kid who’s always been a star, but right now he only wants to win.”

Van Der Wal, Saksa and Kier are the Lions’ top post players, and each brings a different dimension to the paint, Roanhaus said.

On the defensive end, Van Der Wal is athletic enough to pull away from the basket and cover quick guards. Saksa’s game is grounded in fundamentals and working the glass, where he averages a team-leading 7.4 rebounds per game. And Kier, a 6-foot-5 senior, may be the team’s unsung hero because of his ability to play all five positions.

“Our offense runs from the inside out,” Bryan said.

“I’ve got to dump the ball into the big guys to get them on track.

“If they’re not getting the ball and aren’t happy, then the rebounds aren’t coming and the kick-outs aren’t coming. That’s why we need to play a team game.”

The Lions are also loaded with quality guards, including Hange, a three-year varsity player and co-captain along with Bryan, and Wening, a lethal longrange specialist.

Other contributors off the bench for Oaks Christian are Dan Ross, Jason Ghilarducci, Kyle Roche, Christian Garrett, Jaloni Williams and Brian Fifita.

Ross, a starter at the onset of the season, is still getting back into game shape after suffering an injury.

Roanhaus knows it’ll take an entire team effort to walk out of Oak Park’s earsplitting gym with a victory and another Tri-Valley championship.

“This is everything for Oak Park,” he said. “It’s a chance to beat us and to win league. That’s what they’ve been talking about from the start. It’s a gigantic game for them.

“I know this: We’ll have to be very good for all 32 minutes.”