James Wagler Photos
RECAP
The night-cap of Classic in the Country day two, Jan. 17, was a marquee match-up. Wadsworth and Mason both won games on Saturday at CitC and then turned around on Sunday to take on each other.
Mason came into the Classic ranked 4th in Div. I with a record of 12-2. Its win on Saturday over Magnificat, 56-33, moved them to a season record of 13-2.
Wadsworth came to CitC with a 13-0 record, ranked 1st in Div. I and then beat Newark on Saturday, 54-46 to move to 14-0. The two powerhouses found themselves in Berlin with a lot of folks anticipating watching these two programs go up and down the Reese Center floor.
Those in attendance saw a lot of defense going on early in the game as Mason held Wadsworth to just three first quarter points, a Jodi Johnson 3-pointer on Wadsworth’s first possession of the game. Wadsworth wouldn’t score again until there was under two minutes left in the second period. In fact the Grizzlies, the number one team in the state in Div. I, only scored three more points in the first half and trailed 19-6 at the half.
Mason was led by the conveniently named Jailyn Mason in the first half. The University of Arkansas commit scored eight of the Comet’s 19 first-half points. (video) With all the defense being played that was quite the feat by Jailyn Mason.
Mason’s Jailyn Mason scores the final five points of the quarter and Mason and Mason lead Wadsworth 8-3 after one pic.twitter.com/IRUaY8zGLU
— HolmesCountyTicket (@hcticket) January 18, 2016
Mason took a 16-point lead to the fourth quarter, but the Grizzlies weren’t going away quietly. Wadsworth’s Peyton Banks was responsible for fueling a stretch of play where somehow, in the blink of an eye, Wadsworth found themselves back in the game. Banks scored five quick points with a three and a lay-in and Olivia Chaney got a 3-point play that cut the Mason lead to 10 with just under two minutes to play. (video)
Olivia Chaney ignites the Wadsworth crowd. 1:49 left Mason leads 35-25 pic.twitter.com/DaimjTXPRg
— HolmesCountyTicket (@hcticket) January 18, 2016
Jodi Johnson hit a bonus ball from the top of the arc with 1:30 to play to get the Grizzlies as close as they would get to Mason at 35-28. (video) Mason had built too big of a lead and held on for a 41-30 win. Day two was in the books at CitC 2016.
Jodi Johnson hits a huge 3. 35-28 with 1:31 left pic.twitter.com/7apIv6yDfb
— HolmesCountyTicket (@hcticket) January 18, 2016
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Our Walnut Creek Cheese Player of the Game is Mason’s Lauren Van Kluenen. She has gleamed in past Classic performances and she did it again scoring 18 points in the Mason win to go with 10 rebounds. (video)
An LVK score inside puts Mason up on Wadsworth 17-3… Not a typo… With 1:47 in the half pic.twitter.com/njGgHYn1hZ
— HolmesCountyTicket (@hcticket) January 18, 2016
TIP INS
Jailyn Mason finished with 12 points for the Comets and she also dished out six assists, two of which were highlight reel material.
Jodi Johnson had a game-high 11 points for Wadsworth and Banks finished with 10.
STAT BLAST
Wadsworth shot nine percent from the field in the first half with a cool 2-for-21 from the floor.
Mason had 13 team steals. Freshman Samantha Puisis had swipes.
