Tom Fedor/The Gazette

Oakdale High School’s Zach Thomas (center) tries to keep control of a rebound from Tuscarora’s Lamell Washington (left) and Anthony Naylor on Tuesday.

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A slip in fundamentals helped fuel a four-game losing streak for the Frederick High School girls basketball team. The Cadets fell to 10-6 through Sunday following consecutive losses to Urbana (59-43 score), Linganore (58-56), Middletown (58-48) and Oakdale (49-41).

“We’ve just got to refocus on offense and playing good defense and boxing out and we can get back on track,” Cadets coach Keivette Hammond said. “Those things kind of cost us four games against conference opponents.”

Courtney Davis was pacing Frederick offensively, scoring 16 points per game.

Oakdale’s eight-point victory against Frederick halted a frustrating two-game stretch for the Bears, who fell by a single point in losses to Gov. Thomas Johnson (39-38 score) and Walkersville (45-44).

Shania Johnson averaged 27.3 points, eight rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.7 steals during Tuscarora’s three-game win streak. The Titans defeated Gov. Thomas Johnson (64-53, Jan. 25), Urbana (58-40, Jan. 29) and Middletown (56-47, Feb. 1).

What can Brown do for you?

It took just one missed layup on a fast break to set up New Life’s Austin Brown for a put back as perfectly as if it were a set play. The nagging issue that had been in the back of his mind — scoring his 1,000th point — was diminished. He could just play basketball again.

“In the moment, it was kind of good just to get it over with,” said Brown, the younger sibling of Connor Brown, who scored his 1,000th in the second game of the season for No. 8 New Life. “It’s been on the back of my mind for a while.”

After failing to reach the milestone in the previous game against Heritage Academy in which he needed just 13 points, moderately below his 16.9 points per game average, Austin “knew [he] was going to get it.”

Austin, a junior, didn’t relish the accomplishment in the moment. At the time, it was just another basket.

“I don’t know why I don’t grasp that it’s 1,000 points,” he said. “That it’s a big accomplishment or anything like that.”

He has one more year to run the total up to what his friends want to be 2,000 points. He still has a long way to go in catching Frederick County leader Zach Thomas, who has over 1,400 in his career as a Bear. For now, however, he’s just thinking about the next game.

“I just want to beat Broadfording,” he said.

tmewhirter@gazette.net; jpeters@gazette.net

Best bets
Boys

No. 7 Gov. Thomas Johnson at No. 3 Urbana, 7 p.m., Friday

The Patriots are coming together and have an opportunity to pick up a quality win over one of Frederick’s top three teams.

No. 4 South Carroll at No. 9 Frederick, 7 p.m., Tuesday

Like the Patriots, Frederick has a chance for a resume-boosting win towards the end of the season.

Girls

Frederick at Walkersville, 7 p.m., Friday

Lions look to avenge Jan. 11 loss to the Cadets.

Oakdale at Middletown, 7 p.m., Friday

Knights hope to record season sweep of the Bears.