The final score was not what we all expected, with both teams winding up with fewer than 50 points, but Woodcreek and Oakmont put on a great show Saturday night at Arco Arena.

For details on the contest, see the accompanying game story on this Web site.

The student cheering sections from both schools’ Oakmont’s O-zone and Woodcreek’s Black Mob, complete with dueling pep bands, were the hands-down winners in the best crowd support category. The sections were packed with boisterous supporters and even with a partially-filled lower bowl at Arco, the joint was jumping.

“I think our cheering section and theirs are in a battle of their own,” said Woodcreek forward Nik Stathopoulos.

“The Black Mob is intimidating with those painted black faces,” said Woodcreek guard Derek Anganes. “We love the Black Mob. They get us fired up to play.”

“When the word went out to sign up for the rooter’s bus for Thursday’s game, we didn’t just need one bus, we needed four,” said coach Burnel Pinkerton. “I have never seen anyone needing four rooters’ busses.”

At the other end, the O-zone filled the house as well, as it had done on Thursday night. Both teams drew energy from the enthusiastic support.

As for the battle on the court, it was very different than what took place the last time these two teams saw each other. One of the teams scored 45 points in that one as well, but it was a losing number as the Timberwolves went off for 70 that night. On Saturday, Woodcreek survived to win 45-44.

Oakmont was the leader for the first 29 minutes, but it was the last three that counted the most.

“You can hold some players down for a while, but you are not going to stop Nik Milani all night long,” said Oakmont coach Rick Campbell. “They have that comeback in them and you are not going to hold them down for 32 minutes.”

Pinkerton is proud of the fact that his team is home-grown.

“Every one of these guys started at Woodcreek High School when they were a freshman,” Pinkerton said. “They don’t make any kids tougher and they have all bought into what we want to do and they didn’t have to.

“The payoff for them was tonight. We had back-to-back classes with a bunch of talented kids and we have meshed together two talented teams. They are all committed to making this a great basketball team.”

Perhaps the greatest thing about the story is the role players on both of these teams. I write often about Nik Milani and Tony Gill, J.T. Adenrele and Ryan Milat, Mike Kurtz and Fred Mobley or Alex Ford.

Outside the spotlight are players like Oakmont’s Nathaniel Grady and Woodcreek’s Stathopoulos, Derek Anganes, Ryan Sondhi, Jamie Geyer, John Peska and Devin Murphy. They were there again on Saturday night, diving on the floor for loose balls and making all of the little plays that make such a big difference.

“My job is to get him (Kurtz) ready to play,” said Woodcreek reserve center Sam Anderson.

“I would love to start,” Anganes said. “But I love coming off the bench. I can watch the game and see what’s happening and then come on knowing what I need to do to change it. We are about energy and effort.”

The players on these two teams have played together and against each other for a lot of years and there is a genuine affection for each other. The same is true for the coaches, who are very good friends.

“We really wanted to win, but I am also really happy for Burnel,” Campbell said. “We root for each other, and if I was going to lose this game, I would want it to be to him.”

While it is unlikely, there is still a chance that Oakmont could get a fifth shot at the Timberwolves as both will be part of the Northern California championships that begin Tuesday. Those brackets will be released Sunday afternoon.

Both coaches know their teams are well prepared for that next level. Woodcreek’s only losses this season have been to two teams from outside the area at a national tournament, to Division I power Merced and Rocklin and Del Oro from the Sierra Foothill League.

The SFL is the rated the strongest league in the section and it certainly stood up well in postseason play.

“Woodcreek has a great chance to go a lot further,” Campbell said. “The are big and deep, and they have shooters and a great point guard. What else do you need? People don’t understand what we go through in this league, the road we go through every nightin this league has us all well prepared.”

Aside from its four losses to Woodcreek this season, the Vikings only other losses came to two teams that reached section finals this year in their own right – Franklin of Elk Grove and Buchanan of Fresno, and to D-II semifinalist Rocklin.

Saturday was a great night for high school basketball in Roseville, and these teams are not finished yet. Stay tuned.