Mason shoots for 2022 Division I state title
DAYTON – In their sixth state semifinal appearance, Mason High School’s girls basketball program is now in line to add a second state title.
Coach Rob Matula’s Comets blew open a tight game with a 20-point third quarter on their way to a 54-35 triumph over Massillon Jackson Friday night at the University of Dayton Arena.
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It was the veteran coach’s 400th career victory including his time as a boys coach with programs at Talawanda and Sycamore. It’s his third trip to state as Mason’s girls coach and now he gets another crack at winning a Division I championship. His 2016 Mason team was state runner-up and the 2018 Comets lost in the semifinals.
“I’ll take 401; that’ll be better,” Matula said. “I’d give all 400 away for this one tomorrow. It’s more about the kids and the effort and energy and what they represent for our school and our community. It would be awesome for me but I’m more hoping for them that they get the reward they deserve.”
The 2022 version of Mason features 6-foot-6 inch Miami Hurricane signee Kyla Oldacre who will play in the McDonald’s All-American game after her final Mason game Saturday night.
While opposing teams and spectators are always sizing her up, Oldacre has let her play do the talking in the tournament. She finished with 21 points and a season-high 19 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season and fourth in a row in the tournament.
Afterward, she talked with confidence, but also showed compassion for Matula who was emotional after such a significant win. At one point, she reached a hand to his shoulder to console him from choking up at the monumental victory.
“Coach Matula always says we’re the junkyard dogs,” Oldacre said. “We brought that out. He preached that any team is beatable. I feel like we wanted it more.”
Backing up Oldacre’s efforts were freshman Madison Parrish with 12 points and 6 assists and junior Gabby Razzano with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
“We’ve been through this long season and we’ve had many ups and downs,” Parrish said. “I just feel like we’ve all grown together.”
Mason shot 47.1% for the game and held the long-distance Polar Bears to 29.3% overall and a 6-for-29 night from the perimeter. Mason finished 3-for-8 with Parrish ringing up a pair of trifectas when she wasn’t leading the break downcourt.
Mason last won a state championship in 2000 with then-coach Gerry Lackey. That squad featured Michelle Muñoz who would go on play at Tennessee and Ohio State. Muñoz and several other former players were on hand for Friday’s festivities.
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“It’s definitely a grind,” Matula said of the road to a championship.”This is it. Tomorrow’s the last day of basketball season. It’s unbelievable when you think about that. It’s wonderful to be back and have another opportunity.”
The Comets jumped out 7-0 early on quick buckets by Oldacre and a trey from Parrish, but the Polar Bears answered with their own run after not scoring for half of the quarter. Leena Panibandla’s 3-ball gave Jackson a 10-9 advantage.
Mason would grab the 22-18 advantage at the break behind Oldacre and Parrish. Defensively, they had held the long-ball shooting Polar Bears to 3-of-14 from the arc.
Mason extended the lead to as much as 20 in the third as Oldacre had already achieved a double-double in the stat book. They were then able to be more deliberate as they tried to wind the clock down, putting the freeze on the Polar Bears.
Jackson finishes the season 20-7. Their previous low point total was 37 in a loss early in the season to Canton GlenOak. Jackson was led by senior Emma Dretke’s 13 points.
Mason’s win streak goes to 14 and their record to 27-2. They have not lost to an Ohio team since the second game of the season when Lakota East knocked them off by five.
“It means everything to me,” Oldacre said of the title run. “In the middle of the season, we said our main goal was to get to state and to get the win.”
Saturday night’s Divison I championship game begins at 8:30 p.m. Mason will face the Reynoldsburg who defeated Anthony Wayne 67-48 Friday night.
JACKSON 10 8 7 10 35
MASON 9 13 20 12 54
J Ignaccio 1 0 3 Campbell 1 0 3 Dretke 5 1 13 Pallotta 2 4 8 Patibandla 3 0 8
M Barnes 4 0 8 Parrish 5 0 12 Resig 0 2 2 Razzano 4 0 9 Oldacre 10 1 21 Sanders 1 0 2
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