After dropping two of the first five games in the season, the Lindbergh High boys basketball team has won back-to-back games, including a 47-36 win at home against Oakville last Friday.

The win for the Flyers (5-2) marked the fourth time this season that they’ve held an opponent to under 40 points.

“We came out and I thought our defensive effort was really, really good,” Lindbergh head coach Jason Wolfard said. “We knew Oakville is a scrappy team and that they would put a lot of pressure on us. I thought we handled it pretty well.”

Oakville (0-6) has struggled throughout the 2018-19 campaign, as they have averaged just 43.5 points of offense this season.

“Lindbergh came out really strong and we came out really slow, and for our team, that was just tough to come back from,” Oakville head coach Nick Traxler said. “Coach Wolfard had his boys prepared, and we just couldn’t knock down shots.”

Adam Bell led the Flyers with 14 points. The senior forward opened up the night with a pair of three-pointers that set the pace for the game.

“We’ve asked for him to step up and do some more things for us,” Wolfard said. “He came out and hit two really quick threes for us, so it was good seeing him get that touch, feel and confidence back. So that was a big positive for us.”

Lindbergh sophomore forward Carter Knuckles also scored in double digits with 12 points.

“He’s the only sophomore on the team,” Wolfard said.

“The thing about Carter is that you know what you’re going to get from him every night. He’s going to work his tail off, and he’s going to defend and he’s going to rebound, and he’s going to go as hard as he can.”

Oakville senior guard Tommy Purschke led the Tigers with 13 points.

“He’s a great athlete and just an all-around good kid,” Traxler said. “He works hard every day, and we’re going to continue to lean on him.”

Oakville returns to the hardwood at 9 a.m. Dec. 27 as the Tigers face Springfield Illinois Southeast in the first round of the Collinsville, Illinois Holiday Tournament.

“The Collinsville tournament is one of the best in the Midwest, and this year is no exception,” Traxler said. “Springfield Southeast is long and athletic, and they press the entire game. It’s definitely going to be a learning experience when we cross the river.”

The Flyers are also back in action Dec. 27 in the first round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout at St. Louis Community College-Meramec.

The Flyers take on Mehlville at 1:30 p.m.

“Mehlville has got some really good players, and they pose a lot of problems for us,” Wolfard said.

“It’s going to have to be a total team effort because they are absolutely the real deal.”