ODA's playoff run ends prematurely Fort Myers

After winning a district title Jan. 30, the Out-of-Door Academy girls basketball team came into its Feb. 5 regional playoff game on a high.

Despite early success in the game against Indian Rocks Christian, the Thunder were unable to carry on their momentum, losing 42-29.

ODA led 10-9 after the first quarter, but was outscored 33-19 during the rest of the game.

The team’s two seniors, Lisa Hoffman and Jenna Bloch, led ODA in scoring. Bloch had eight points, and Hoffman had 12.

“Those two seniors were the rock of the team,” ODA coach Jamie Roberts said. “They led the team in scoring, rebounds and assists. Anything I asked of them they did it. I’m going to miss them with all my heart.”

Being the district runner-up last season, the Thunder had it in their sights to win the district this year.

“We set our goals high. We wanted to get that championship and we fulfilled our goals,” Roberts said. “The girls came into the season and worked their butts off.”

Indian Rocks led throughout the second and third quarters; ODA was able to get within nine points in the fourth quarter.

“Whenever we’re down, I tell them to never give up,” Roberts said. “We hung in there and made some shots. Our team never wavered, and I knew we’d fight till the end.”

The Thunder’s playoff run ended sooner than the district champs expected.

“I told them, ‘No matter what, you’re champions at the end of the day,’” Roberts said. “When they come back, it’ll say ‘District Champions.’ We could have folded early but we held our composure and fought till the end.”