MANSFIELD — All that soul searching and rumination Mansfield Senior did overnight paid off Saturday at Pete Henry Gym.
A day after playing perhaps its worst game of the year in a home loss to Orrville, the Tygers responded with their best 32 minutes of the season in a 59-57 win over highly-regarded Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary and super sophomore V.J. King.
Senior High (14-2) connected on eight 3-pointers, was 11-for-12 from the free throw line and outrebounded the Fighting Irish (10-9) 35-21. Eight Tygers scored, six made at least one 3-pointer and all 10 players who saw floor time contributed in one fashion or another.
“It’s funny. I go home last night thinking it was the last day on earth because our kids didn’t focus enough,” Mansfield Senior coach J.T. Reese said. “Then to come out and play possibly the most talented team we will see all year — and I truly believe there are some future pros on that team — to come out and pretty much dictate the game … I couldn’t be any more pleased.
“We didn’t let them have anything easy.”
The Tygers, who connected on just 4 of 11 3-pointers in Friday’s loss to Orrville, were dialed in from long distance Saturday. Mario Davison, Jalen Reese, Chek Washington, Jameel Butts and Asante’ Wilder all connected on treys in the first period alone. Wilder’s twisting desperation heave from the top of the key banked in as the first-quarter horn sounded, giving Senior High a 19-14 lead.
“We just had to bounce back and come back ready to play,” said senior center Donovyn Benson, who found room to operate around the basket as SVSM’s defenders had to concentrate on guarding the perimeter. “I think that we weren’t as focused as we needed to be. We didn’t practice well and we played like we practiced.
“It’s great when we have guys knocking down shots from the perimeter. It loosens things up for me. It’s a relief off my shoulders and everybody else’s shoulders.”
The Tygers built a 24-17 lead midway through the second quarter on DeJorr Gibson’s trey, but the Irish closed the half on a 6-2 run and trailed 26-23 at halftime.
“We weren’t really worried that we wouldn’t be able to get re-focused after (Friday),” Gibson said. “We came out and executed and got the ‘W.’
“That was probably our best game all year.”
SVSM grabbed a 27-26 lead on a King layup with 6:51 to play in the third quarter, but the Tygers reclaimed the lead for good when Washington sank his second trey of the evening with 5:57 to go in the period. Benson scored five straight points to give Senior High a 37-32 lead.
A thunderous King dunk cut Senior High’s lead to 37-34, but the Tygers responded when Naradain James threw down a highlight reel alley-oop dunk from Davison for a 39-34 lead. James scored Mansfeld Senior’s final six points of the third quarter as the Tygers took a 43-36 advantage to the fourth.
Benson’s offensive rebound and putback with 3:29 to play gave Senior High a 51-43 lead, it’s biggest of the night, but the Irish wouldn’t go quietly. SVSM turned up the heat with a trapping full court press and Senior High committed five consecutive turnovers. The Irish did themselves no favors at the free throw line, however, connecting on just three of their final eight attempts. SVSM was 11 for 22 from the stripe on the night.
“They shot the ball extremely well,” SVSM coach Dru Joyce said. “That’s what happens, teams get up for us. They came out motivated.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to make free throws. If you go 11 for 22 from the free throw line you can’t win the game, especially in a tight game. They were 11 for 12 and we were 11 for 22.”
King, who is ranked as one of the top players in the nation in the Class of 2016, led the Irish with 18 points. The 6-foot-7 swingman, who has offers from Ohio State, Michigan State and Arizona among others, was 6 for 12 from the floor.
“You just try to keep him in front of you and contest every shot,” said Senior High’s Jalen Reese, who did an admirable job guarding King and blocked one of his shots near the rim late in the game. “Then it’s box out, rebound and let’s run. We wanted to take him out of his game.”
Jalen Hudson and Josh Williams each scored 14 points for the Fighting Irish.
Benson paced Mansfield Senior with 15 points and nine rebounds. Gibson had nine points, while James and Washington each had eight.
In junior varsity action, Senior High fell 54-43. Marshall Levins led the Tygers with 13 points and five rebounds. Mario Young had 10 points and six boards, while Raheem Clark had nine points and four assists.
The Tygers visit Gahanna Lincoln on Tuesday before hosting West Holmes in a pivotal Ohio Cardinal Conference game on Friday. The Tygers and Knights both are 10-2 in league play and the winner will clinch at least a share of the conference crown.
“We’ve got to maintain our focus,” Gibson said. “We’ve got some big games coming up and we want to be playing our best once the tournament rolls around.”
