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(NewsDakota.com) For the first time in the 2013-14 season, the Oakes High School girls and boys basketball teams will have a home game. On Friday night, the Tornadoes will host the Ellendale Cardinals. 

The girls of Oakes started their season a week ago, and were thumped by Central Cass by 45 points. The Tornadoes have another tough task Friday when they host Ellendale, a team that received votes in the latest Class B Girls Basketball Poll and knocked down Strasburg/Zeeland by 40 Thursday night.

Oakes Head Coach Jason Schmitz says they have a tough one on their hands again Friday night.

Meanwhile, the Oakes boys are at long last at home for the first time this year after losing the first three games all on the road; including a tough loss in overtime last week to Hankinson. Oakes has won the coveted Cowbell trophy just three times since the year 2000, but all those times were at home; including two years ago when the Tornadoes rallied to a 1 point victory in overtime. Last season in Ellendale, the Cardinals slid past 54-51 to take the Cowbell back.

Brandon Bata, the head coach of the Tornado boys says what’s transpired beforehand to this point means very little in a contest like this. 

The girls game is set for 6 p.m. to be followed by the boys game 20 minutes after. Coverage of both games can be heard on KDDR-AM 1220/95.9 FM and NewsDakota.com starting at 5:45.