OXFORD – The Blackhawks boys basketball team used a second-half surge to overcome Unatego’s lead built in the second quarter to win the Midstate Athletic Conference playoff game Thursday night, 52-47.

Brad Beckwith scored 10 of Oxford’s first quarter points and teammate Matt Roach added a 3-pointers to give the Blackhawks a 13-11 lead.

The visiting Spartans stepped up their defensive efforts in the second, limiting Oxford to just four made free throws in the stanza. Offensively, Unatego has six different scorers balance out their 17 points as they took the 11 point advantage into the locker room at the intermission.

Out of the break, the two teams had flip roles. The Blackhawks came out to have a combined 16 points added to the scoreboard, taking back the lead late in the third after holding the Spartans to two made field goals.

As Unatego turned their focus on stopping Beckwith in the middle, Oxford’s Jason Davis and C.J. Smith took over. Davis tallied seven in the stanza while Smith chipped in four to lead 33-32 entering the fourth quarter.

In the final eight minutes of play, Unatego’s Shea Barber scored six and Austin Faulkner put up seven as the Spartans pushed the Blackhawks for the lead. However, Jacob Murrer, Davis and Roach knocked down six clutch free throws at the stripe to hold on for the win.