The Oxford basketball team may not have won the Flint Metro League title this season but at least they have bragging rights to who is the better team face-to-face with league champion Brandon.
The Wildcats handed Brandon its second loss of the season, both of which are courtesy of Oxford, 60-56.
The win put the Cats at 10-8 overall and 9-4 in the Metro League. Brandon will look to clinch the league title on Friday against Lapeer West.
Oxford Coach Steve Laidlaw said he was proud of the way his team stepped up against the Blackhawks.
‘We match up with them real well. They are the best team in the league and we beat them twice. That’s something to be proud of,? Laidlaw said. ‘We stepped up and made plays.?
‘We are a heck of a team and they are a heck of a team.?
Laidlaw praised the play of Allan Willar and Tim Ketelhut, who hit a big three pointer in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Willar led the Cats with 17 points, Brad Dugan had 10, Ketelhut collected eight points and Billy Keenist contributed five, including what proved to be the winning bucket.
The game was close throughout. Brandon led 19-14 after one quarter and 32-29 at halftime.
The Cats took the lead in the second half with 35-34 with 4:05 left in the third quarter and built the lead to 40-34. Oxford took a 45-40 lead after three quarters.
Oxford’s big man Brad Dugan missed half of the quarter when he picked up his fourth foul. Dugan then fouled out with six minutes left in the game.
Despite losing their leading scorer, Oxford found ways to play tough against the Blackhawks.
Laidlaw said his team’s defense helped keep the Cats in the game.
‘We really played defense tonight and we are tough to beat when we do that,? he said.
The Wildcats built their lead to 48-40 before Brandon scored the next six points and cut the lead to 48-46. Brandon cut the lead to 52-51 with 3:13 left.
A three-point bucket put the Blackhawks up 54-53 with slightly more than two minutes left. Another bucket put Brandon up by three again, 56-53.
A three-pointer by Brandon Dugan tied the game at 56 with 1:35 left.
With only 40 seconds left Keenist hit a shot to give the Cats a 58-56 lead, which they never lost again.
With only six seconds left, a Brandon shooter was fouled and given three free throws but couldn’t hit any. On Oxford’s next possession, Ketelhut was fouled and hit two free throws with four-tenths of a second left to secure the win.
In other league games last week, Oxford easily beat Linden, 64-52.
The Cats also suffered a tough loss 74-73 to Fenton.
The Fenton game came down to a final-second three-point shot that won the game for the Tigers.