Saturday, March 20, 1999

Mason goes for national title minus Jones

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Sharpshooter injures knee in semifinal win

BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Beth Jones is helped off the court. (Craig Ruttle photos) | ZOOM |

        COLUMBUS — The Mason girls basketball team moved one step from a national championship with a victory Friday night, but the win was overshadowed by a potentially huge loss.

        Comets junior forward Beth Jones, a three-point shooter who averages 11 points a game, injured her left kneecap in Friday's 51-45 Division I state semifinal victory over Toledo Central Catholic. Jones limped off the court at the end of the third quarter and didn't return, and coach Gerry Lackey called her “questionable at best” for tonight's state championship game.

        “Other people are just going to have to step up,” Lackey said.

        “We'll be ready,” said senior forward Dallas Williams, who bullied her way to 13 points and eight rebounds Friday.

Jones eyes a pass. | ZOOM |

        Mason, 26-0 and ranked No.1 nationally by USA Today, takes on Pickerington in the 8:30p.m. final today at St. John Arena. A victory would give Mason both the state title and a mythical national championship.

        “We're just looking at it like we've got to win a basket ball game,” Lackey said.

        “I don't think you can let winning the state title let you lose focus,” said Comets center Michelle Munoz, who notched a double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds). “It gets in your head.”

        But overcoming the loss of Jones, one of the Comets' best three-point shooters and their most active perimeter defender, could be a monumental task. Susan Lippert, a some-time starter at point guard, will start in Jones' place at the swing position, and guard Jere' Issenmann now becomes the key outside shooter. Point guard Racquel Ellis' penetrating ability also will step to the forefront.

Michelle Munoz battles for a loose ball. | ZOOM |

        “Everybody talks about Munoz and Williams,” Toledo Central Catholic coach Steve Pfahler said. “But Beth Jones is a hell of a player. They lose something outside.”

        Mason almost didn't escape the semifinals. Despite overmatching Central Catholic inside all night — Mason grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to eight for Central Catholic — the Comets didn't pull away until hitting 5-of-6 free throws in the final 1:02. An early 10-point lead never materialized into a blowout like many other Mason games this season.

        The decisive stretch came late in the third quarter, when Central Catholic drew even at 30 and Mason immediately responded with a 7-0 run to take control. Issenmann started it with a three-pointer; Jones sank a pull-up jumper; and Williams hit a layup to make it 37-30.

        “They've been through this before,” Lackey said. “They knew how to get it done.”

        The end of that 7-0 stretch marked disaster, however, as the third quarter came to a close. Central Catholic missed a desperation three at the buzzer, and in the scramble to box out, Jones fell to the floor and injured her left kneecap, finishing with five points and two assists.

        Mason opened the fourth by going back to what had been working all night, looking to Munoz, who stepped out to hit a jumper and then went inside for a layup. Issenmann made a late three-pointer, one of three on the night to give her 11 points. Williams also took command in the late moments after struggling through a 6-for-19 shooting night.

        “We definitely pulled together,” Munoz said.

        “We seem to have a knack for getting the ball where we need to in the stretch,” Lackey said.

        TOLEDO CENTRAL CATHOLIC (45) — Mix 3 3 9, Eidson 5 0 11, Weisenburger 5 0 10, Helvey 1 0 3, Dorrell 4 0 8, Simrell 1 0 2, Minnfield 0 2 2.

        MASON (51) — Issenmann 3 2 11, Munoz 8 2 18, Williams 6 1 13, Ellis 1 2 4, Jones 2 0 5.

        Toledo CC ....... 9   8  13  15—45

        Mason ....... 11  12  14  14—51

Records: Toledo Central Catholic 26-1, Mason 26-0. Three-pointers: Toledo Central Catholic 2 (Eidson, Helvey), Mason 4 (Issenmann 3, Jones). Rebounding: Toledo Central Catholic 8 16 24, Mason 16 14 30.

Jones may have dislocated kneecap
Pickerington primed for Mason
Mason team shows what girls can be Krista Ramsey column
Mason goes north, nuts

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