Ihuoma Ozoh shed a few tears.

Homewood-Flossmoor’s January 27 game with Lockport was senior night for the Vikings. Ozoh and Aunyai Deere were honored before the game, taking pictures with family and then the rest of the team before heading back to the bench to start the game.

That’s when Ozoh, a Clemson volleyball signee, felt the emotions of the moment. 

“I’m going to college for a different sport and this is going to be one of my last games with my team, one of the last games that I may be playing basketball,” she said. “I grew up with basketball and I’ve always loved it.” 

The rest of the team saw Ozoh’s tears and wrapped her in a giant group hug and words of encouragement.

“Huddling around Ihuoma, that gave us a moment of joy,” Deere said. “It gave us a moment of reality that it comes to an end so we’ve got to take advantage of it while we can.”

The Vikings then got down to the business of securing at least a share of a SouthWest Suburban Conference title with a 54-42 win over the Porters. 

H-F (17-9, 12-1) can clinch the conference title outright with one more league win. They have remaining SWSC games at Lincoln-Way Central, against Stagg and at Lincoln-Way West. They would need to lose all three and Lockport (18-9, 9-4) would need to win all three of its remaining games for the teams to share the championship. 

“(Winning conference) means a lot because we let that opportunity slip away from us last year,” Deere said. “We wanted to come in harder this year to find a way to win (the SWSC).” 

That pregame hug may have been a catalyst for the Vikings, as they jumped on Lockport early and led 17-6 after the first quarter. They led for the duration and the Porters never cut the lead to less than nine points. 

Sophomore Toniya Brady led H-F with 13 points. Deere scored 12 while Ozoh had nine points, six rebounds and four blocks before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Evelyn Ingram led all scorers with 19 for the Porters. 

“We don’t want to share (the conference title). We don’t want a piece. We want it all,” coach Anthony Smith said. “We want the whole pie.” 

Smith said after the game that talented sophomore Zoey Ratliff has a chance to play in the postseason. She missed the entire season after tearing her ACL last spring and her presence could give the Vikings a boost.

“I’m hoping she can at least get to practice because they’re all together, all locked in and focused, this a group that people haven’t seen, yet,” he said. “I think they could make a run if they come together.”