Posted: Jan. 30, 2010 |(0) Comments

Oak Creek — Most stars are defined by their leadership.

Oak Creek's Angela Rodriguez has not only lifted her play this year, but she has stepped up as a leader. Her guidance is evident in her teammates' performance.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit injured her ankle prior to tipoff of a Jan. 12 nonconference girls basketball game against Pius XI and has been in and out of action since, missing three of five games entering this week.

Two ups, one down

In the games Rodriguez missed, juniors Cydney Weisflog and Ashley Luke combined to average 25.6 points per game to help the Knights to a 2-1 mark and remain in the Southeast Conference race.

"They've really stepped it up," Rodriguez said. "I think they realize that they can win without me. They're playing really well as a team."

Rodriguez took advantage of her teammates' stellar play and rested her ankle for part of the Jan. 19 matchup at first-place Muskego, which fell to the Knights, 47-43. Luke and Weisflog continued their improvement with 28 combined points, and Rodriguez added 11.

When Rodriguez sat out against Racine Park on Jan. 22, Luke and Weisflog combined for 36 points to set up a huge SEC tilt against Racine Case with conference-title ramifications.

Missed opportunity

With Rodriguez back in the lineup, however, the Knights could not keep the good times rolling. Oak Creek's four-game conference streak ended with a 57-41 loss to Case (7-1 in SEC, 10-3 overall) on Friday, dropping the Knights (5-3, 10-4 overall) to third place.

"If we had won this, we could have had a good run for the championship," Rodriguez said. "But I mean, I guess we learn from every loss, and we'll come back strong from this."

A strong third quarter lifted Case into a share of the Southeast Conference lead with Muskego. Samantha Logic and Jameeka Bouie combined for 12 of their team's 16 third-quarter points as the Eagles outscored the Knights, 16-7, and erased a 21-20 halftime deficit.

Luke and Rodriguez, who combined for 18 first-half points, scored just one point in the third while the Knights fell behind, 36-28.

Logic seemingly scored at will most of the night and finished with a game-high 22 points.

"We had absolutely nobody who could stop her and that's why they won," Oak Creek coach Steve Hluchnik said. "We went zone and that stopped them for awhile, (but) we had no answer for her. She's a mismatch."

Logic and Bouie combined for another 13 points in the fourth quarter to close the door on the Knights.

The Eagles shot 12-of-20 (60 percent) in the second half.

"The whole second half (the Eagles) dictated the tempo and did what they wanted," Hluchnik said.

After a solid first half, Rodriguez managed just two points after the intermission.

"She is probably 80 to 85 percent (healthy)," Hluchnik said. "She's gutting it out, she's still a little slow, and she's just not herself."

Oak Creek limited the Eagles to just 29 percent shooting in the first half, but the Knights shot just 31.5 percent in the half, which prevented them from taking a commanding lead.

The Knights' big three of Weisflog (10 points), Rodriguez (12) and Luke (15) combined for 37 points.

Bouie finished with 21 points.