The #1 seeded Windsor boys basketball team hosted #9 Oxbow on Friday night in the second round of the DIII playoffs. Despite Oxbow playing a competitive first quarter, Windsor ran away with the game after that due to their ability to attack the offensive glass, lock down Oxbow defensively, and get hot on offense after figuring out the Oxbow zone.
To start the game, Oxbow’s student section had high intensity and their team rode that wave in the first quarter. After threes by Oxbow’s Sweet and Ilsley, the score was 13-12 in favor of Windsor. Windsor’s Ben Meagher responded with his second of two-straight baskets made and the Yellowjackets had the lead 15-12 after one.
In the second quarter, Windsor’s Robert Slocum caught fire from the field, which helped the Yellowjackets pull away. In the quarter, Slocum scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers. From the three-minute mark to the 50-second mark in the second quarter, he would hit three straight threes to push the Windsor lead up to 37-15. At the half, the Yellowjacket lead was 39-15.
Slocum, on his lights out second quarter, said “I found my rhythm in the second quarter. A big game like this, we needed someone to step up and score. After I hit those, the fans kind of got me going. On how he fed off of the crowd, said, “They’re family to me. It’s nice to have them. It’s probably the best turnout we’ve had.” Windsor head coach Harry Ladue, on Slocum, said, “He’s a shooter, and on the defensive end, he’s coming away with every loose ball.”
In the third frame, Oxbow extended its pressure to half-court but it did not impact the way the Windsor was sharing the ball and putting it in the basket. At the seven-minute mark, the Yellowjackets would get three offensive rebounds in one possession, which resulted in two free-throws for Adam Stapleton. A floater and a three on back-to-back possessions by Meagher would put Windsor up 50-22. Oxbow would play competitive for the remainder of the period, and after three, the score was 59-33.
The fourth quarter started with a bang for Windsor. After a layup by Dakota Sanderson, Duncan Frazer would steal the inbounds pass, step back, and hit a three right in front of Windsor’s student section, which sent the building into a frenzy. The lead quickly got up to 64-33 with just 25 seconds off the clock in the quarter, and Windsor coasted from that point on.
Oxbow coach Steve Carson, on the game, was quoted as saying, “When we put our first subs in, that’s when the wheels kind of came off. This Windsor team played well together. They are very unselfish. There was nobody trying to win a one-on-one, they make the right play… and their defense is just relentless.”
On the win, coach Harry Ladue said, “Defensively, we started to take the game over in the second quarter and third quarter and then we started hitting some shots. Great crowd tonight. They were getting louder and louder and we were getting going. It was fun. Definitely enjoyed the turnout.”
For Oxbow, Sweet and Ilsley both contributed 11 points. As for Windsor, Slocum led the Yellowjackets with 22 points, while Meagher scored 17 and Stapleton added 14.
Windsor moves on to play in the semi-finals on Thursday, March 15 at 6:30 @ Barre with their opponent still TBD.
By Kameron Towle
sports editor
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