MANSFIELD — Mansfield Senior stepped on the gas early Friday at Pete Henry Gym.
The Tygers opened the game with an 11-0 run, built a 17-3 advantage after the first quarter and cruised to a workmanlike 56-41 win over Ashland in Ohio Cardinal Conference action.
The Tygers (3-0, 2-0) never led by less than 10 points the rest of the way, but could never pull comfortably away from the Arrows (1-3, 0-2)
“We came out excited, but … it didn’t end like that,” Senior High coach J.T. Reese said. “I thought we started to spin our wheels at the end a little bit. We got a comfortable lead, but then we were just spinning our wheels and not going anywhere.”
The game was scoreless for nearly three minutes before Reese inserted Lima Senior transfer DeJorr Gibson for his first action of the season. The undersized senior guard, who was held out of both games last week for disciplinary reasons, provided immediate offense, connecting on a pair of 3-pointers during what proved to be the decisive first-quarter run.
“He works hard at what he does,” said Senior High center Donovyn Benson, who scored a game-high 22 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field. “He gets us better in practice. He keeps our energy up.”
Reese agreed.
“He’s been chomping at the bit to get out there,” Reese said. “He’s been working hard all summer long. He loves being part of our program and it shows. He wanted to get out there tonight and get that first one out of the way.”
The Arrows finally for on the scoreboard on Trey Smith’s traditional three-point play with 2:57 to play in the first quarter. That would be all for Ashland during the period.
“We looked at the score book and it’s 17-3 in the first quarter. For whatever the reason we didn’t come and play the way we needed to,” Ashland coach Tim Fralick said. “From that point on, we lost by one. Now, the games was stretched out and things happen, but we feel like we competed with a very good team.”
Making matters worse, the Arrows were without rugged post defender Drew Dickinson for a second straight game. The 6-foot-3 junior sat out Ashland’s 59-42 win over Sandusky on Tuesday and was not available Friday because of a lingering illness.
“Having Drew Dickinson out … is really a tough blow for us,” Fralick said. “Tuesday we didn’t know if it would hurt us as much because Sandusky didn’t have a big, strong back-to-the-basket guy. We knew against Benson, (Dickinson’s absence) had the potential to hurt us more.
“He does a phenomenal job. He got great position, not only in the post but on the offensive glass. He does a great job of sealing out guys. He’s an excellent player.”
Gibson and Robert Jones each scored nine points for the Tygers. Asante’ Wilder and Chek Washington had five points apiece.
Freshman Grant Denbow, Isaac White and Brett Vipperman each had 10 points for Ashland. Trey Smith added nine.
Reese used his third different starting lineup in as many games. The Tygers were without starting point guard Mario Davison, who served the second game of a two-game suspension after being whistled for a pair of technical fouls in Senior High’s season-opening 86-45 win over crosstown rival Madison. Davison will return when the Tygers visit Wooster and Sandusky next weekend.
“We’re missing one of our lead guards,” Reese said. “He’ll be back next week. He’ll be chomping at the bit and hopefully that translates well defensively.”
The Tygers limited Ashland to 15 of 39 shooting (38 percent) and scored 20 points off the Arrows’ 13 turnovers.
“I’m pleased with the effort,” Reese said. “They didn’t get to run what they normally run. They just had to play.”
The Arrows gave Senior High all it could handle in the sectional final at Galion last March, falling 47-40. Fralick said the Tygers are a different team.
“Their deeper this year,” Fralick said. “They lose Keon (Johnson), one of the most dynamic players in the area the last few years, and you think they are going to be down. But once you see them on film and play them, you realize that is not the case. They’ve got a bunch of guys chipping in.
“And they’ve got a big class of seniors. A lot of times when you are a senior, you have an extra sense of urgency because it’s your last time around.”
The Arrows, whose other two losses have come to highly regarded West Holmes and Norwalk, host Orrville next week.
“We’ve played some very good teams, but it is what it is,” Fralick said. “We’ve got to keep getting better.”
