The Oxford Yellow Jacket basketball team officially kicked the door in and took over first place in the Area last Friday night at home before a packed crowd at The Sports Arena in Oxford. Their arch-rivals, the Gadsden City Titans, came to town having never lost an area game in their school history and confident they were going to beat the Jackets again.

Their 48-game unbeaten streak came to a crashing end amongst a barrage of Oxford three pointers and pressure defense, as the Jackets pulled away in the third quarter and rolled to a 66-57 victory.

The win over the Titans left the Jackets with a 7-2 mark as the week came to an end against an extremely tough schedule and a team nobody wants to play.

Oxford 66 Gadsden City 57

Justin Lawler hit a two and Keith Wilson drained a three as the Jackets jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead over the much taller Titans and 7- footer Trey Kalina. Ulric Jones added a dunk and it was 7-2.

The Titans scored seven straight points to tie the game at 11-11 as the first quarter ended.

Wilson knocked down a three and a bucket to open up a five point lead, but the Jackets went cold from the floor and found themselves down 22-18 on a three pointer by the Titan’s Tevin Wise with 2:36 to go in the half.

Lawler took matters into his own hands as he exploded for four straight three-point baskets and Wilson added another as the Jackets rolled out to a 33-25 halftime margin.

The Jacket press was all over the Titans and the Jackets pounded the boards in the third quarter to open up a 54-37 lead late in the third quarter. Jamal Lee was driving to the basket and Logan Craft and Wilson were drilling three pointers.

The Titans are one of the best teams in Alabama and they scored 11 straight points to cut the lead to 6 late in the fourth quarter, but the Jackets pulled it back out to 12 points and took the big Area win.

Lawler had 17 points and 5 three-point field goals. Wilson ended the night with 18 points and 4 threes. Lee had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Craft had 9 points and three rebounds. Jones came in with 6 points, 9 rebounds and 7 blocked shots.

The Jacket defense created 17 turnovers and harassed the Titans into 19 for 58 shooting from the floor. Oxford was 24-56 on the night and only 8 turnovers.

Mountain Brook 60 Oxford 59

Unbeaten Mountain Brook and once beaten Oxford squared off in an epic clash in Oxford and it had the sense of a state championship game.

The Spartans came in on a roll and averaging over 70 points a game with a pressing frantic style of play. The teams traded punches in a see-saw victory that saw the Spartans clinch the game with a free throw with 4 seconds to go.

Logan Craft and Justin Lawler nailed three point baskets and Favion Sillman hit two baskets as the Spartans could not handle the Jacket press. The Jackets had matched the Spartans style and held a 19-14 lead after one quarter.

Lawler and Craft were draining threes in the second quarter as Oxford pulled ahead 27-22. The Spartans then put together a quick 12-2 run to go back ahead 34-29 with little time left in the half. Once again Oxford countered as Lawler hit a long three and Jamal Lee hit a layup at the buzzer to give the Yellow Jackets a 35-34 halftime lead.

Oxford tried to blow the game open in the third quarter and had the Spartans on the ropes as Lawler hit two long threes and Lee banged in a couple of driving layups to give the Jackets a 47-36 lead.

The Spartans got two quick threes to cut the lead to 47-42 at the end of the third quarter. The Spartans chopped it to 47-46 with 6 minutes left. Lawler hit a three and Deon Wright hit two free throws to go back up 52-46 with 5 minutes left.

Urlic Jones had a layup and with 3:56 to go the Jackets led 54-49. The next 90 seconds saw the Spartans fight back with 10 straight points off a couple of turnovers and go up 59-54. The Jackets fought back, but time ran out.

Lawler hit 7 three-point baskets and led the Jackets in scoring with 22 points. Lee added 9 points and 9 rebounds. Jones had 8 points and 6 rebounds. Craft had 12 points and 4 rebounds.