The Oak Harbor High School boys basketball team put together two comebacks, but it was unable to complete a third in a 69-65 loss to visiting Meadowdale Tuesday, Dec. 15.

The Mavericks (4-2) went on a 14-0 run to start the second half, and that was enough to keep the Wildcats from winning their first game of the season.

Oak Harbor fell behind 8-1 at the beginning of the game, then it mounted it first comeback, outscoring Meadowdale 24-6 and taking a 25-16 lead midway through the second period.

A trio of three-pointers by Josh Cote and nine points from Dyllan Harris fueled the Wildcat spurt, helping Oak Harbor take a 33-29 halftime lead.

After the break, the Mavericks blitzed the Wildcats and built an 11-point lead, 45-34, before Oak Harbor constructed its second comeback.

It took only 90 seconds for the Wildcats to score nine points and trim the deficit to two, 45-43. Cote scored twice and Diangelo McKinney nailed a three pointer during the run.

Meadowdale steadily built its lead back to eight, 58-50, three minutes into the final quarter, then Oak Harbor chipped away again.

When McKinney dropped in a pair of free throws, Oak Harbor was within one, 66-65, with 49 seconds remaining.

Meadowdale tacked on a free throw, then the Wildcats missed a game-tying shot with 10 seconds remaining.

“We got the shot we wanted,” Oak Harbor coach John Weston said, “but it didn’t drop.”

“When we got out of the press, it took us out of the game,” he said. “That was a bad adjustment on my part.”

Cote gave the Wildcats “a spark off the bench,” Weston said. “He’s been sick; it was nice to see him provide us with some energy and scoring.”

Cote hit four three-pointers and finished with 17 points.

Harris had 21 points, McKinney 14, Ozell Jackson five, Adam Nelson four, Savion Hollins-Passmore two and Sean Erskine two.

Nathan Heilpap hit six three-pointers and scored 23 points for Meadowdale; Harrison White added 22 points, 17 in the second half.

Oak Harbor (0-6) hosts Mariner (3-3) at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21.

(Left: Diangelo McKinney soars by Meadowdale’s Dan Barhoum for two points. Below: Santa and his helpers cheer on the Wildcats. Photos by Jim Waller.)