A loss in the district semifinals did little to detract from the great season enjoyed by the Oxford boys basketball team.
Coach Paul Marfia said he was proud of how well his team played this season, earning a 14-7 record and a second place league finish after last season’s mark of 6-15.
The season came to an end last week with a 64-57 loss to Lake Orion. The Dragons have gone on to win the district crown.
The Wildcats fell victim to Lake Orion’s inside height advantage, which includes two players at six-feet-seven inches and another at six-feet-five inches.
The Cats provided some great competition early, taking a 14-12 lead after the first quarter. Lake Orion went on an 18-7 run in the second quarter and led 30-21 at the half.
The Dragons continued to increase their lead in the third quarter before Oxford mounted a comeback attempt in the final quarter.
Lake Orion started the fourth quarter with 10-4 run for its biggest lead at 54-34.
The Cats mounted a fierce final effort by outscoring Lake Orion 23-10 during the final three minutes of the game but couldn’t get any closer.
‘Our kids battled back and got to within seven point but just ran out of gas late in the game,? Marfia said., ‘They played with a lot of effort and heart.?
Oxford’s Mark Hazelwood led the way for Oxford, scoring a game-high 15 points. James Patrick scored nine points and Javante Evens added six.
Marfia praised his senior leadership for the great season, which included a second place league finish.
The seniors are: Hazelwood, Mike Kitchner, Jacques Toussiant, Ben Magdelano and Zack Raisch.
‘It was a credit to our seniors how well our season went,? Marfia said. ‘They set a standard. We look forward to getting better and building a great program.?