MANSFIELD — A big second quarter propelled Ashland to a surprising 52-49 Ohio Cardinal Conference boys basketball victory over Mansfield Senior on Tuesday night at Pete Henry Gym.
The Arrows forged a 14-13 first-quarter edge, but opened a 29-22 halftime bulge via a 15-8 burst in the second period.
Senior High (7-3 overall, 5-1 in the OCC) cut the margin to 38-32 heading to the final eight minutes. Sophomore Kyevi Roane put the Tygers on top 43-41 with a bucket at the 3:47 remaining.
But Ashland (3-7, 1-3) hit 11 free throws down the stretch. Grayson Steury connected on six of them, including two with 36 seconds to play for a 50-47 advantage.
The Tygers’ Nathaniel Haney scored to cut it to 50-49 with 12 seconds showing, yet the Arrows’ Paxon Edinger drained two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to finish the scoring.
Steury pumped in a game-high 17 points, while Keslar Bates chipped in 14 points and six rebounds.
Roane was the lone Mansfield Senior player to reach double figures with 16 points and six rebounds. Karion Lindsay and Haney contributed eight points apiece.
Ashland was 17-of-34 from the field (50 percent), and made 14-of-17 free throws (82.4 percent).
Senior High missed all five of its 3-pointers, but was 22-of-36 from the field inside the arc (61.1 percent).
The Arrows travel to Mount Vernon on Friday, while the Tygers bus to New Philadelphia.
