Tuesday night The Mill was packed.  Responding to warnings of SRO, parents arrived early.  Knights students poured in from the corners and formed a White Out.   The Black Hole, Mason’s notorious student section, was busy creating their version of the Dark Side.   The Pulse-Journal was there.  

The Enquirer, of course, was covering the GCL.   But that’s another story.

It was Kings vs. Mason, and all that goes with it.

PULSE JOURNAL STORY | STATS | STANDINGS | SLIDE SHOW (Courtesy of the Pulse-Journal)

The Knights came in with a head of steam, riding a 4 game win streak.  The Comets were coming off a 2-point loss to city-ranked Oak Hills, but had their star and their mojo back.   It promised to be one of the best Kings-Mason matchups in years.   It was.

 The Knights started fast, with 2 buckets by Aaron Gayhart.  But the Comets responded quickly, and the battle was on.  The first quarter ended in a 15-15 tie when Mason star Zach Brown, who would score exactly 1/3 of his teams points, swooped in with a tip on a missed shot as time ran out. 

There had been 5 lead changes in that first period, but in the second quarter both defenses asserted themselves, and the Knights took a one point lead in at half, 22 to 21.  

In the third quarter Mason forward Luke Sutphin carried the load for the Comets, scoring 8 of the team’s 11 points and giving them a 32 to 29 lead on a conventional 3 point play with a minute left that held up as the period ended.

In the 4th quarter the Knights’ Junior Derrick Harris scored 9 of his 13 points, all on individual drives to the bucket.  Meanwhile the Comets were hitting 9 of 13 free throws.  Then with 4:08 left the Comets center Jordan Heatherly fouled out and it seemed like the Knights might finally take their share of the boards.  But with 3:21 left Knights’ center Danny Hagee fouled out as well, and the imbalance was restored.

 The teams battled back and forth, but with the Knights leading 44-42 and 1:40 left Brown slipped over a screen, squared up for a 3 and nailed it to take the lead.  It was a dagger.  With ball control being a strength of both teams, it was strictly a matter of whether Mason would make their free throws.  They did, closing out the game 48 to 45.

 Key stat:  the Knights were outrebounded by the Comets, 36 to 21.

It was the Knights’ third loss to larger schools, all by 3 points or less.   The brutal schedule has taken its toll on the won-loss record, but the Knights are still 9-4 overall, 5-1 in the Cardinal, and head into the home stretch with lots of big-game experience.

Next the Knights travel to Amelia to resume their title run.  Make the trip!  Back the Knights!!  See you there!!!

 GO KNIGHTS!!!!