Oxford’s Donovan Rickard posts 28 points in the thrilling season opener against Morris. Oxford won 71-65. (Photo by Morgan Golliver)

OXFORD – It was an exciting evening at the Oxford High School gymnasium as the Oxford Blackhawks boys basketball team took on Morris in their 2024 season opener.

Both teams have been known to bring fierceness to the court against one another for the past few seasons and it only showed true Tuesday night. In the intense back-and-forth, high-scoring affair, Oxford sealed the victory late in the fourth quarter with a 71-65 win.

The Blackhawks had a strong first half with 45 points and took a 45-37 lead at halftime. The second half only intensified as both teams played strong defensively. Oxford capitalized on their strength in the paint, executing smooth passes for clean finishes. They also outpaced Morris with fast breaks and long passes, quickly transitioning to their side of the court.

Donovan Rickard was a standout for Oxford, contributing 28 points and excelling in a head-to-head duel with Morris’ Ryan Murphy, who led all scorers with 31 points in an impressive performance.