Now into district play, Oxford’s boys basketball team finished out the regular season with another school record and the OAA Blue title. The Wildcats’ regular season record, 19-1, makes the most wins by any Oxford basketball team.

In the first night of district play on Feb. 25, Oxford overcame the Romeo Bulldogs, an OAA White team, 70-59.

Junior forward Trey Townsend got the Wildcats started with 10 points in the first half. Romeo hung on through the first half, leaving Oxford with a narrow 26-23 lead heading into halftime.

In the second half, the Wildcats took off, increasing their lead time and time again. Senior guard and captain Logan Coughlin landed three consecutive 3-pointers early in the third quarter and, paired with the scoring of senior forwards Michael Raisch, a captain, and Grant Kornburger, the boys held their lead throughout the half.

It was a big game for Coughlin, who led the Wildcats with his career-high 24 points, which included seven 3-pointers. He was followed by Raisch’s 18 and Townsend’s 12. The night’s key bench players were Kornburger, senior forward Dujoun Williams and sophomore guard Zach Townsend.

Last week, the Wildcats were crowned league champs in the OAA Blue, something that has only happened two other times in the last 40 years. Oxford took home the league title for the first time in five years on Feb. 21 with a 66-39 win over Hazel Park during senior night.

Senior guard Nolan Hiler led the boys with 15 points and played what Head Coach Steve Laidlaw called a “spectacular game.”  He was followed by Trey Townsend with 13 points, Raisch with nine, senior guard D’Wavay Turner with nine and Kornburger with eight.

In a title-winning game that celebrated the team’s seniors, Laidlaw said this historic season wouldn’t have been possible without the seven boys who will hang up those Wildcat uniforms for good soon.

“Logan Coughlin, Michael Raisch, Connor Nicholson, Nolan Hiler, Dujoun Williams, Grant Kornburger and D’Wavay Turner had a tremendous regular season,” Laidlaw said. “Each player played a significant role in capping off the greatest season in school history.”

Earlier in the week on Feb. 19 , the Wildcats travelled to take on Pontiac and crushed the team on its own court in a 76-39 game. Pontiac’s only two losses this season have come from Oxford.

Though the game started tight, Oxford was able to score 17 unanswered points in the first quarter to take the lead. The move was led by Trey Townsend, who sunk his first seven attempted shots.

Going into the second half leading 39-19, Oxford was able to maintain a comfortable lead through the rest of the game. The win was the boys’ 18th of the season, giving this 2018-19 squad the most wins in a season by any Oxford basketball team.

Raisch led the team with 21 points. He was followed by Trey Townsend with 18 points and Zach Townsend with 14. Coughlin led the boys on the floor with five assists, and chipped in with a 3-pointer that helped seal the win in the fourth quarter.

On the defensive end, Laidlaw said senior forward and captain Connor Nicholson was essential and kept Pontiac’s leading scorer, who averages 24 points a game, to just 11 points.

“His defense has carried us all year,” Laidlaw said of Nicholson.

The boys finished the regular season 19-1 overall and as the OAA Blue champs. With one districts game under their belts, they now have a 20-1 overall record. Oxford plays Waterford Kettering High School tonight, Feb. 27, at Lake Orion in the hopes of advancing to the district finals.