Jackets stop slide
- Updated: December 12, 2021
Oxford checks all the important boxes in beating Hartselle to snap four-game losing streak
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
RAINSVILLE – The Oxford basketball team checked a lot boxes Saturday, and not just pizza boxes at the Domino’s Classic.
Scored points – check. Played good defense – continued check. Won a game – big, bold check.
The Yellow Jackets snapped a four-game winning streak here with a 53-42 win over Hartselle in the opening game of the Domino’s Classic at the DeKalb County School Coliseum.
It’s the most points they’d scored in a game since a 69-59 win over Plainview, the event’s host school that is the next property over from this building.
“It shows you the resilience of your team,” Oxford coach Joel VanMeter said. “You saw the resiliency in this group who had lost four games. Let’s be honest, they weren’t four bad opponents, we just lost four straight games. And I think this group gets how a basketball season is, kind of the ebb and flow, and they proved it tonight by coming out defending, rebounding and they were very good against the zone being strong with the ball.
“Look, I’m miserable losing four straight; I know they’re miserable. They were able to keep a positive outlook and they were able to keep their head up and chin held high. They knew who we were and we were able to come out and prove it.”
The Jackets lost to some pretty good teams during the losing streak – Huffman, Hoover, Springville and Pinson Valley – and they weren’t getting blown out doing it. They never gave up more than 57 points in any of the losses, they just couldn’t score enough themselves.
One of the biggest missing pieces to it all was a post presence to take some of the pressure off Rylan Houck and be around to gather up some rebounds when their outside shot isn’t falling. Ashton Mitchell, a junior who hadn’t played any varsity minutes before this season, and to a lesser degree freshman Jayden Lewis gave them that presence around the rim, especially defensively, on this day.
Mitchell scored eight points, but he grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked three shots. Lewis scored only two points, but he grabbed six rebounds and took a charge. The Jackets had at least 14 offensive rebounds.
“Coach Van (Joel Van Meter) always says for us to win the game we have to defensive rebound, (get) blocks and stuff like that,” Mitchell said. “He says that’s what I bring to the table, so that’s what I have to work on in practice, that’s what I got to get better at. That’s what I’ve got to keep doing for the team. That’s what I provide, so that’s what I have to give out.
“Coach Van really got me started. He always wants me to do better, he wants me to go to the next level. He feels like rebounding, blocking shots can get me to the next level and I’m giving in to what he’s saying.”
Defensively, they held the Tigers to single digits in the second and third quarters.
On the offensive side, the Jackets hadn’t scored more than 42 points in any of the previous four games. They hit that mark early in the fourth quarter and continued to pour it on for their highest scoring quarter since their win over Plainview.
Houck led them in scoring with 18 points and Kyler Wright’s shot started to return late in the game and he finished with 14, including a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Houck also grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked four shots.
After the game Mitchell learned his brother Miguel was named MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Game in Hattiesburg, so it was a good day in the Mitchell house. The news brought a big smile to his face.
Almost as big as the one he had from winning the game.
“It feels good coming off a drought; it feels great,” he said. “I like to see the team smiling, see the team all happy and stuff. It feels good to bring one back home.”
Cover photo: Oxford junior Ashton Mitchell establishes his position in the low post during the Yellow Jackets’ win over Hartselle Saturday.
Oxford 53, Hartselle 42
OXFORD – Jaylen Alexander 1 1-2 3, Rylan Houck 7 4-8 18, Kyler Wright 5 2-5 14, Aaron McFarland 0 0-0 0, J.D. Jones 2 1-2 6, Mike McGraw 0 2-3 2, Jayden Lewis 1 0-0 2, Ashton Mitchell 3 2-3 8. Totals 19 12-23 53.
HARTSELLE – Kiah Key 3 3-4 11, Ryan Dunn 2 0-0 4, Thomas Itsede 3 0-0 6, Ty Odom 0 0-0 0, Kohl Key 0 2-2 2, Treyce Oden 4 0-1 8, Luke Ward 3 0-0 9, Dominic Simmons 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 5-7 42.
Oxford 13 13 7 20 – 53
Hartselle 14 6 7 15 – 42
3-point goals: Oxford 3 (Wright 2, Jones); Hartselle 5 (Ki. Key 2, Ward 3). Total fouls: Oxford 12, Hartselle 20. Officials: Douthit, Robinson, Horn.
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