ONTARIO — Mansfield Senior turned back the clock Thursday evening.

Kaylen Brooks scored a game-high 28 points and the third-seeded Tygers held on for a 55-47 win over No. 2 Oregon Clay in a Division III district semifinal game at the Ontario High School O-Rena.

Senior High (17-7) turned 12 Clay turnovers into 16 points and grabbed seven offensive boards — hallmarks of vintage Tyger basketball.

“The guys worked their tails off,” Senior High coach and former Tyger great Marquis Sykes said. “They’ve been locked in now the last probably three or four weeks, really wanting to do something special here at the end of the season.”

First-Quarter Fireworks

Senior High raced out to an 11-0 lead with Brooks and senior D.J. Corbin leading the charge. Brooks had four points during the game-opening run and Corbin’s traditional three-point play with 3:21 to play in the opening period made it 11-0.

“That was the difference in the game,” Sykes said of quick start. “I think maybe our pressure shell-shocked them a little bit. Our pressure is to something that is not going to be easy for them to simulate in practice.

“Without that good start, this would probably be a completely different ballgame.”

Clay Comeback

Mansfield Senior led 23-13 at the half and 26-16 after another conventional three-point play from Corbin early in the third. But the Eagles (17-7) refused to go quietly.

Clay pieced together a 15-4 run in the third and took its only lead of the night at 31-30 on a mid-range jumper from Aiden Berryman with 1:36 to play in the period.

Brooks, who was 1-for-6 from beyond the 3-point arc in the first half, knocked down a pair of treys in the final 1:05 of the third and the Tygers led 36-33 heading to the fourth.

“Keep shooting. If you’re open take a shot,” Brooks said of his approach after the early struggles. “Don’t be afraid of the moment.

“If you miss one, it’s next shot and next play. That’s what I live by.”

Brooks’ third and final trey of the evening gave Senior High a 41-36 lead with 6:23 left to play.

That’s when his cousin, junior Andrew Brooks Jr., took over. Andrew Brooks pushed the lead to 43-36 on a tough layup with 5:52 to play and added a three-point play with 4:54 to play to give the Tygers a 46-38 lead.

“He’s the heart and soul of the team,” Kaylen Brooks said. “He brings the fire, the energy, everything. 

“Whatever you need from Andrew Brooks, he can do it.”

Unsung Heroes

Corbin was the only other Tyger to reach double figures. The senior had 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

“He was huge tonight,” Sykes said. “He’s our captain and kind of holds everything together for us. 

“He was fully engaged on both ends of the floor.”

Andrew Brooks finished with eight points. D’Vontae Johnson addd six.

Rashad Reed Jr. and Davion Mack were both held scoreless, but their contributions couldn’t be overlooked.

“Rashad Reed, it won’t show on the stat sheet, but he got some timely offensive rebounds,” Sykes said. “He pressured their point guard from end-to-end all night.

“He did all the little things that we need seniors to do to gut out wins like this.”

The 6-foot-3 Mack, who averaged more than 10 points a game this season, attempted only one shot. He grabbed four rebounds and was especially menacing on the defensive end.

“He’s a gamer,” Sykes said. “When the lights are at their brightest he’s going to be really to play.

“I thought he did a great job of pressuring the basketball and he can get the deflections that nobody else can get.”

District Final Drought

Mansfield Senior will play Lima Shawnee for a district title at 7 p.m. Saturday at the O-Rena. Shawnee beat Bowling Green 71-47 in district semifinals Thursday at Liberty-Benton.

The Tygers are in a district final for the first time since 2014. Senior High won a Division I district title that year and reached the Elite Eight before falling to eventual state champ Lakewood St. Edward in the regional final.

“I would be lying if I said there wasn’t some relief,” Sykes said. “There’s absolutely some relief.”

Kaylen Brooks agreed.

“It’s special for the fans and the community,” Brooks said. “It means everything.

“It’s a special feeling and a special moment.”