Wildcats lose 46-41
By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD — The Wildcats and audience members honored Hana St. Juliana before Thursday night’s varsity basketball game against Lake Orion.
St. Juliana, one of four students killed during the Oxford High School shooting on Nov. 30, 2021, played for the school’s volleyball, basketball and lacrosse teams. She was 14-years-old.
The Wildcats wore custom Hana-themed shirts and leis during warm-ups, while attendees received their leis at the door to OHS’s Ian Smith Gymnasium. Flowers were the night’s theme – Hana means flower in Japanese.

Several Oxford players shared their favorite memories of St. Juliana, and what she meant to them before the game.
“Every time I see a flower, I think of Hana,” senior Emma Beggs said. “I think of her light and laughter, and the way she made this world a little brighter for everyone around her.”
Beggs also called St. Juliana the most dependable person on and off the court, and said she had a way of bringing everyone together with her contagious personality.
“Another memory was playing Among Us as a team before our games,” senior Allison Hufstedler said. “Whenever Hannah was the impostor in the game, you could tell Hannah was it, since she couldn’t hold back her amazing smile.”
The game stayed close and featured several ties and lead changes during the first half.

Lake Orion scored the game’s first two points, but Hufstedler quickly scored as she was fouled. Her free throw gave the Wildcats an early 3-2 lead.
Foul trouble for Oxford put the Dragons in the bonus with over three minutes to play in the first half, meaning every Wildcat foul would give Lake Orion two free throws.
The Dragons would shoot six in the second quarter, and a three-pointer from Dragon senior Charlotte Peplowski helped Lake Orion earn a 22-18 lead at half time.
Lake Orion extended their lead to seven in the third quarter, but a layup through contact for Wildcat sophomore Jaylen Jacobsen kicked off a 7-0 run to tie the game at 32 – leading to a Lake Orion time out.
After the time out, Lake Orion turned the ball over when an inbound pass went into the Oxford crowd. Wildcat sophomore Mia Champagne took advantage of the turnover, and scored two of her eight third-quarter points to give Oxford a two-point lead.

However, a buzzer-beater by Peplowski tied the game at 34 to end the third quarter.
Neither team scored during the first few minutes of the final quarter. Lake Orion senior Izzy Wotlinski was the first to do so with two made free throws after the Dragon’s defense regained possession of the ball.
Wotlinski’s free throws began a 9-1 Lake Orion run. By the time the run was over, it was too late for the Wildcats. Lake Orion defeated Oxford 46-41.
Champagne’s 17 points were the most for Oxford, followed by sophomore Katelyn Brockway with eight, Hufstedler and Jacobsen with six and junior Tegan O’Connor and senior Sophia Raab who scored two.
Lake Orion is now fourth in the OAA Red with a 3-3 conference record, followed by Oxford at 1-5. The Dragons are 11-7 overall, while Oxford is 6-11 after defeating Ferndale on Friday.
The Wildcats’ next home game is against West Bloomfield on Friday at 7 p.m.