By Teddy Rydquist
Leader Staff Writer
Initially scheduled for a three-game week, the Oxford Wildcats boys’ basketball team’s tilt with the Troy Athens Red Hawks at the Ian Smith Gymnasium on February 16 was postponed due to inclement weather, leaving the program with just two games last week, both on the road.
On February 19, the Wildcats never found their footing in a 58-32 loss to the Rochester Falcons, a member of the Oakland Activities Association (OAA) Gold Division. This was the second meeting between these two programs in 2020-21, as Oxford defeated the Falcons, 54-50, in overtime in the season-opener on February 9.
Seniors Trent Brown and Mason Mulholland were the Wildcats’ high scorers, tallying 10 points apiece, with juniors Alec Brown and Mitch Viviano both adding four.
Presented with the opportunity for a quick turnaround, Oxford traveled to Romeo High School to face the Bulldogs, who belong to the Macomb Area Conference (MAC), the next day, February 20. Romeo won, 45-43, with junior Logan Rolfs burying the game-winning 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining.
Trailing by seven, 25-18, at the half and by eight, 37-29, after three quarters, the Wildcats rallied back to take the lead late in fourth quarter by relying on Mulholland, who poured in a career-high 33 points. Through five games, Mulholland is averaging 22.4 points-per-contest and has reached 20 points four times, establishing himself as not only the team’s go-to guy, but one of the top players in the OAA.
With these two results, the Wildcats stand at 2-3 (0-1 OAA Blue).
“Mason (Mulholland) and Mitch (Viviano) were outstanding,” head coach Steve Laidlaw said following the Bulldog game. “Alec Brown gave us great effort, and, like I told the kids, when you’re down 13, and you scratch back and get a lead, that’s all you can ask. We had a one-point lead, we’re in four corners, that’s all you can ask. We had a charging call, that was big. Then, we didn’t get the missed free throw, right, that was big. We changed up the defense and No. 1 (Rolfs), their best player, just hit a huge, huge, huge deep three. You got to tip your hat to him.”
Although the result ended up being the same, Oxford’s energy level was much better against Romeo than Rochester. This was a product of the team looking within and knowing they are capable of more.
“We had a half-hour meeting before we hit the bus,” Laidlaw shared. “I said, ‘We’re going to have toughness offensively and defensively, and we’re going to get better.’
He has not made much of an impact in the scoring column, but Logan Rozanski, one of just two sophomores on the team, along with Dylan Stone, is beginning to find his footing, impressively blocking two shots, one against both the Falcons and Bulldogs. “Logan is going to be really good,” Laidlaw said. “It’s a huge step to go from JV (junior varsity) to varsity, regardless of if you’re a freshman, regardless of if you’re a sophomore, it’s a huge step.”
The Wildcats returned home on February 22 to battle the OAA White’s Rochester Adams Highlanders. Results were not available in time for this edition.The play at home on Friday, against divisional foe Berkley, followed by a trip to Brandon High School on Saturday, and return to the Ian Smith Gymnasium on Tuesday, March 2 for another OAA Blue showdown, this one with the Birmingham Seaholm Maples.