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Filbert Five: Anita Rank Oplotnik starred at Lincoln HS, Missouri Southern

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You can make a case that Anita (Rank) Oplotnik put Lincoln High School girls basketball on the map, and she wasn’t done there. She also enjoyed a record-setting career at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin.

Her career will soon be remembered by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, which will recognize Oplotnik during its upcoming Basketball Tipoff Luncheon presented by Mercy. Oplotnik has been named to the Hall’s Filbert Five, a group of former high school, college and professional basketball players. The Filbert Five is named in honor of the late Gary Filbert, who coached high school and college basketball teams and, in 2011, was bestowed the Missouri Sports Legend award by the Hall of Fame.

The luncheon is set for 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 at the University Plaza Convention Center in Springfield. For tickets, call 417-889-3100.

“I am humbled and honored to receive the Filbert Five award for doing something that I have had such a huge passion for since I was in the fourth grade – playing basketball,” Oplotnik said. “The basketball court, for me, was always the most peaceful and best place that I could imagine. I was blessed to have great teammates and wonderful coaches throughout my playing years and parents who supported me along the way.”

Known as Anita Rank in her playing days, Oplotnik is a 1984 graduate of Lincoln High School, which was a Class 1 state runner-up her senior year and a quarterfinalist her junior year. She was a third team All-American by USA Today in 1984, when she was also All-State. Oplotnik was a first team all-district in her junior and senior years and all-conference her final three seasons. She also was the first Lincoln girls player to score more than 1,000 points in a career and averaged 16.7 points. Her teams were a combined 75-10 in high school, including an 11-0 record on her freshman team.

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A four-year letter winner at Missouri Southern State University, Oplotnik was a two-time All-American selection and a two-time first team NAIA All-District selection. Additionally, she was the conference Player of the Year in 1987 as well as a three-time, first team all-conference selection. Oplotnik twice led the Lady Lions in scoring and led the team in rebounding for three seasons. She is still the all-time leading scorer in school history (1,842 points) and holds 10 other records: points in a game (42); career field-goal percentage (.564); free throws made in a game (17), career (476), consecutively (15-for-15 in 1987); free throw attempts in a game (21) and career (600); free-throw percentage in a game (1.000); personal fouls in a career (376); and single-season games started (32).

“I always played to win, whether I was in practice or in a game, and I believed that if you put in the work, the results would come,” Oplotnik said. “I learned that talent was important in sports, but teamwork and intelligence would win more games. I still love the game today and always will.”

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Want to go?

What: Basketball Tipoff Luncheon presented by Mercy

When: 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 10

Where: University Plaza Convention Center, Springfield

Inductees: Parkview High School’s “Jolly Green Giants” of 1964-1966; Missouri State’s 1952 and 1953 NAIA national championship men’s basketball teams; Jefferson City and Lady Bears standout Karen Rapier; and high school and college coach Gary Stanfield.

Filbert Five men’s team: Chris Harville (Rogersville/Missouri State), Steven Hill (Branson/Arkansas), Sam Singh (Ozark/Bradley), Mark Sparks (Neosho/Mizzou/Drury) and Kevin Williams (Nevada/Mizzou).

Filbert Five women’s team: Sara Bos Barnhart (Billings/Drury),Terianne Wolford Brown (Nixa/Mizzou), Laura Granzow Buetow (Kickapoo/Denver/Canisius), Alyson Young Hooten (Rogersville/Avila) and Anita Rank Oplotnik (Lincoln/Missouri Southern).

Tickets: Individual tickets are $40. Tables of eight are $400 and include associate sponsor recognition in the printed program. Call the Hall of Fame at 317-889-3100.