Oklahoma 3A boys quarterfinals: Behind Chris Mason's inside presence, Victory Christian gets past Idabel
OKLAHOMA CITY - Chris Mason was expecting a physical contest.
Almost every team Victory Christian has gone up against this season has tried to match the physicality of Mason.
While it rarely happens, Idabel gave it a shot Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the 3A boys state tournament. However, in the end, Mason and the Conquerors had too much as they sent the Warriors home after a 55-50 victory at the State Fairgrounds Arena.
“They're just trying to play physical,” Mason said of the Warriors. “They can do that all they want. I'm going to just take my time and get to a spot and then if they're playing physical, that means it helps us.
"That means a lot of more open looks and layups for my team.”
Both teams had their chances to steal the game in the final minutes.
With 3:45 left in the contest, Victory Christian led, 43-40. However, Mason picked up his fourth foul and had to head to the bench with 22 points.
The Warriors' Baker Hoskin hit a jumper to close the gap to one, 43-42. But the Conquerors’ Connor Hislop answered right back with a midrange bucket of his own.
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The teams traded baskets and with 2:15 left on the clock, the Conquerors held a 47-44 advantage.
Another Hoskin basket pulled the Warriors to within one point with 1:30 left.
Hislop hit his third straight shot to keep Victory Christian ahead. Idabel then missed on the other end and Mason, who just returned to the game, pulled down the rebound.
The senior was then fouled and dropped in both free throw attempts for a 51-46 lead with 48 seconds left.
Each team knocked down a free throw before Idabel's Cordavious Hankins went to the line with a chance to cut the lead to three. However, he missed 1-of-2 and the Conquerors stayed up by four with 19 seconds remaining.
Gene Mason put the contest away with a pair of free throws as Victory Christian survived a first-round scare.
While Chris Mason was a force for most of the evening, being able to see his teammate come up clutch with him in foul trouble is nothing new.
“I've seen it all year,” Chris Mason said. “I trust them. I trust everything. I trust coach, I trust my whole team, I trust all of them. So, it was real good.”
Chris Mason led all scorers with 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field and knocking down 5-of-6 from the line. He also hauled in eight rebounds.
Hislop posted 12 points while Gene Mason added 8.
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Michael Doctor paced the Warriors with 21 points while Hankins chipped in with 9 points.
Despite racking up 19 turnovers, Victory Christian relied on its dominance in the paint. They outrebounded Idabel, 27-17, and shot 64 percent from the field.
The Conquerors will need more of the same when they face off with Oklahoma City Millwood in the semifinals Friday at Yukon. Victory Christian will have the size advantage, but the defending champions have shown in the past that doesn’t always matter.
“They are a very good team,” Victory Christian coach Dan Donahue said. “They are well-coached, a perennial powerhouse. I think they've won the last two, maybe three championships.
"I don't know for sure, but they are a heck of a team and the coach is doing a great job with them. We're going to go back to Tulsa and get some rest and get prepared.”
OKC Millwood 61, Mount Saint Mary 50
Millwood, the defending 3A champions, started their title defense against a tough Mount Saint Mary squad.
The Rockets kept pace with the Falcons for most of the first half. But after halftime, Millwood’s pressure defense began to wear down MSM. They forced 15 steals on the afternoon.
Despite that, Mount Saint Mary found itself only trailing by 9 early in the fourth quarter. But that would be as close as Millwood would allow them to get.
Xon Williams led the Falcons with 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Amari Barrett added 9 points and eight rebounds.
Eli Jones and Karter Dumont each posted 9 points for the Rockets. No player scored in double figures.
-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK
