Sunday, March 21, 1999
Injury snuffs Mason's title hopes
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COLUMBUS — Their run to the top ended with whimpers, the Mason girls sitting stunned on their bench as they accepted the second-place trophy.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Comets were the No.1 team in the nation, the undefeated team that other coaches said didn't have a weakness. This night was supposed to be their coronation, as both state and national champions.
But instead there were only tears after their first loss this season, in the game that counted most.
With injured guard Beth Jones — Mason's best all-around perimeter player with an 11-point scoring average — relegated to a spectator, the Comets finally showed a weakness. And Pickerington pounced, getting revenge for an earlier loss and defeating Mason 46-30 in the Division I finals.
“I can't even put it into words,” said Mason senior Dallas Williams, choking back tears. “I just can't.”
It means no mythical national championship for the Comets, who had held the No.1 ranking in USA Today's national poll for three weeks but will fall out of the top spot this week. Pickerington, ranked third by USA Today, won its second straight state title and sixth since 1985.
“I didn't think about the national title at all,” Williams said. “I just wanted to win this game and the state title.”
Mason (26-1) made a game of it late in the first half, but Pickerington responded with a 15-4 run as the Comets' undefeated season slipped away.
The loss of Jones, who dislocated her left knee in Friday's semifinal win, clearly disrupted Mason's offensive flow. Sophomore guard Jere' Issenmann, Jones' equal as a shooter, stepped up to score 12 points and hit three three-pointers, but the Comets were not the same team without the dual outside threat of Jones and Issenmann and without Jones' peskiness on defense.
It also allowed Pickerington to keep Mason's strong inside game relatively quiet. Williams had five points, and center Michelle Munoz had to fight to get 13 points and six rebounds. Guards Susan Lippert and Racquel Ellis were held scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting.
“With Beth Jones out, we knew two of their players weren't going to shoot much,” Pickerington coach Dave Butcher said. “That made one less player to guard.”
But Mason didn't want to use Jones' injury as a crutch. “We still believed we could win,” said Williams, who wrapped up Jones in an emotional hug after the game.
“I don't think we were in the flow, but you could attribute that to Jones or to (Pickerington's) defense,” Mason coach Gerry Lackey said. “We're not going to make excuses.”
“Our team doesn't fall on one person's shoulders,” Issenmann said. “We got here as a team.”
Pickerington (27-1) looked to be in control early, especially before Mason got comfortable running its offense without Jones. The Tigers jumped to a 15-7 lead midway through the second quarter, but then a re-energized Mason went on a tear to tie it up just before the half.
Issenmann started the barrage with a three, and Munoz followed with an 18-foot jumper to draw within three. Williams notched a layup on an inbounds pass, and Munoz hit a jumper in the paint then a free throw, and suddenly it was 17-17.
Williams and Munoz controlled Pickerington's 6-4 LaToya Turner, Ohio's co-Miss Basketball, holding her to two first-half points and 10 overall.
But a perfectly timed three at the buzzer by Brittani Young gave the Tigers a 20-17 halftime lead, and Brianne Gray hit two big threes in the third quarter as Pickerington pulled out to a 12-point lead.
“They shot us down, and we didn't get some of the baskets to fall that we normally do,” Lackey said. “We knew they were going to neutralize one of our post players. They just did such a good job on us on the perimeter. We couldn't get the ball where we wanted.”
Mason's national title run ended where it began. It was Mason's win at Pickerington in January that vaulted the Comets from No.16 to No.2 and into the national spotlight. The Comets have lost just twice in 52 games over the last two years.
But that was no solace to Williams, Mason's only senior starter. “Maybe when I look back on it, I'll look at it that way,” she said, “but not right now.”
PICKERINGTON (46) — Harrison 5-9 3-3 13, Young 2-5 3-4 8, Turner 5-12 0-0 1 0, Gray 4-7 1-2 13, McPhatter 0-2 2-3 2, S. Fassbender 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 16-36 9-12 46.
MASON (30) — Issenmann 4-9 1-2 12, Munoz 6-13 1-2 13, Williams 2-5 1-2 5, Lippert 0-2 0-0 0, Imbus 0-1 0-0 0, Richardson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 12-34 3-6 30.
Pickerington ....... 11 9 12 14— 46
Mason ....... 5 12 6 7— 30
Three-point field goals: M 3-8 (Issenmann 3). P 5-9 (Gray 4, Young). Rebounds: M 19 (Munoz 6, Williams 3, Issenmann 2, Lippert 2, Imbus) P 24 (Harrison 6, Young 6). Assists: M 11 (Lippert 6, Ellis 3, Issenmann 2). P 10 (Harrison 3). Turnovers: M 12, P 13. Attendance 8,116. Officials: Michael Vaschak, Brian Mincher, Jay Dana. Records: M 26-1, P 27-1.
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