After jumping out to a 19-4 first-quarter lead against the Clio Mustangs, Oxford’s Varsity Men’s Cagers cruised to a 54-46 win, Dec. 13, to open its Flint Metro League schedule.
The road win helped the boys rebound from a disappointing season-opening, 51-47 loss, Dec. 9 to Armada.
In that game they overcame a 12-2 deficit to lead 44-35 with seven minutes left in the game before, as Coach Steve Laidlaw put it, ‘Things fell apart.?
In the Armada game, the Wildcats shot 21 percent from the field and missed ‘many? free throws.
By halftime, the score was Oxford 31, Clio 17.
For Oxford, the first-quarter cushion helped them to fend off Clio, who outscored Oxford 42-35 in the remaining three quarters.
Leading the way in scoring for the Wildcats was Junior Mike Bertling, who scored 16 points, Senior Anthony Esparsa who had 12 points (including two three-pointers) and Junior Gary Wurtz with 10.
‘Fortunately the cold shooting from [the Armada game] didn’t carry over to,? Laidlaw said.
One of the highlights against Clio was Wurtz? lone three-point shot in the game.
It was a 30-foot effort at the buzzer to close out the first quarter.
Senior James Scribner led the Wildcats with four steals while Junior Matt Veersteg contributed with six points.
Against Armada, Sophomore Chris Calvin had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Esparsa had 11 rebounds while Junior Tommy Nieman had 11 points and six rebounds.
Last night, Oxford (1-1 on the season and 1-0 in FML play) hosted Flint Kearsley and will host Lapeer West Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m.