MANSFIELD — It took eight minutes for the Mansfield Senior boys basketball team to shake off two weeks of inaction.
But then the second-seeded Tygers shifted into high gear and throttled Norwalk 65-30 for a Division III sectional championship on Friday night at Pete Henry Gym.
Coach Marquis Sykes’ squad trailed the winless Truckers 13-12 after the first quarter, but swiftly rebounded and hammered Norwalk 65-30 for a sectional championship at Pete Henry Gym.
Senior High found its stride in the second quarter, ripping off an 18-5 blitz to move on top 30-18 at halftime. It was more of the same with a 30-4 avalanche in the third period for a 60-22 bulge that put the game away.
Davion Mack topped a balanced Mansfield Senior scorebook with 15 points. Rashad Reed Jr. added a dozen points and six rebounds, while D.J. Corbin and D’Vontae Johnson contributed 10 points apiece. Kaylen Brooks had eight points. Johnson handed out five assists.
Xavier Saunders had 16 points for the 11th-seeded Truckers, and teammate Nolan Jones added seven.
Senior High won the battle of the boards 27-16, and shot 50 percent from the field (25-of-50). Norwalk was forced into 23 turnovers, while the Tygers suffered just six.
Norwalk finished a winless season at 0-23.
The Ohio Cardinal Conference co-champion Tygers advance to Thursday’s 6 p.m. district semifinal against Oregon Clay (17-6) at Ontario High School. The second-seeded Eagles edged Sandusky 50-46 for a sectional crown on Friday night.
Clay tied for second in the Northern Lakes League with an 11-4 conference mark, behind league champion Perrysburg (16-6 overall , 13-1 in the NLL).