OAKLEAF - Oakleaf High girls basketball coaches Fred Cole and Ron Jefferson had the formula a few years ago with a string of Final Four finishes with top-tier players, but the 2025 squad has proven to be as tenacious and intense as their historical brethren with a tough 42-38 win over 15th-ranked Bradford County Saturday night. Bradford County visited with an 11-2 season record against the Knights 11-9 slate.
"We put a couple of young kids out there the last few games to try and fire up the team and they have been playing as hard as past teams we have had here," said Cole, who had Final Fours in 2021 and 2023 with likes of Taliah Scott, Fantasia James and Kaylah Turner, all now college players in the USA. "We have a senior guard (Jasmin Davis) and a freshman guard (Nyla Parsons) both working hard to get the ball downcourt and under the basket," said Cole. "That and an attacking defense has been a Oakleaf trademark since I've been here. Thirty two minutes of action."
For Cole, the defense came from another Mighty Mite of sorts as his past teams had a 5'-2" defensive stalwart named Armanny Mullins who was in attendance at the Bradford game.
"To see Armanny in the stands and to see our girls attacking and getting turnovers at halfcourt like we used to was such a thrill," said Cole. "Coach Jefferson has always been our conditioning and running guy and the girls today showed that his process is working like it should. We were relentless for four quarters."
Oakleaf has shifted it's season from a sporadic start and a three loss mid season streak to win six of their last seven games including wins over Andrew Jackson and 6A-Nease. A loss to Fleming Island will be tested on Monday, January 20 as the Knights open the Clay County Cup tournament at Orange Park High with Fleming Island.