More to Do - Oxford Basketball

November 11, 2021
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD – Rylan Houck plays the first game of his senior season Thursday afternoon in Birmingham and he should be as relaxed in a season opener as he’s ever been in his career.

He should be, but he won’t. There’s so much to get done.

**Here are the two logos Rylan Houck’s dad designed for his son.**

Houck, the 6-foot-5 senior forward who enters the season as the most proven player on Oxford’s roster, took care of a major piece of business Wednesday when he signed to play college basketball at Lipscomb University.

That should be reason enough to be relaxed, relieved of the burden of having to secure his future. But there will be other motivations at play when the Yellow Jackets play Hueytown as part of the Veterans Day Tip-Off at Birmingham’s Bill Harris Arena.

Oxford senior Rylan Houck explains his decision to sign with the Lipscomb University basketball program while his parents and Yellow Jackets coach Joel VanMeter look on.[/caption]

Motivations like propelling the Jackets’ yearly climb for respect.

“Everything is taken care of; I’m going to Lipscomb University. There’s no thought, no pressure,” Houck said after his signing celebration. “But absolutely not (relaxed).

“I’m not a big fan of rankings at all, but if you look at rankings, you don’t see Oxford High School anywhere. Truthfully, we’re behind so many other teams in our rankings and it’s like we haven’t proven anything yet. We’ve been successful the past few years, but what about this year?

“There’s no relaxing for me at all. It’s straight pushing. I know who I have to be once I get there and it’s not who I am now. I have to have that improvement.” [**read more]