Mansfield Lions leave Grove with win

The Mansfield Lions’ basketball team is now 7-0 to start their season. Their latest win came on Friday night in Mountain Grove as they handed the Panthers a 69-51 loss.
The Lions jumped out to a 20-9 lead in the first quarter with the help of Haven Proetz’s seven points.
Fisher Croney added six in a 15-point second quarter where five different Lions scored.
Mountain Grove kept the pace in that frame with the help of Kale Gardner’s nine points and five from Bret Gardner as the Panthers trailed by nine at the half.
Mansfield would eventually pull away in the fourth after making 11-of-16 free throws to seal the 18-point victory.
Kellen Campbell scored a team-high 15 points as four different Lions scored in double figures.
Jace Headrick scored 13 points; Croney added 12 points; Proetz had 11 points; Kaden Young added seven; Malachi Ussery scored six; Owen Rhodes had four points; and Brayden Short scored one point.
Kale Gardner led the Panthers with 19 points; Aden Estep had 11; Bret Gardner scored nine; Brady Anderson and Brody Emery both had five points; while Eli Garner had two points.
A few days earlier, the Lions traveled to Spokane and cruised to an 85-48 victory.
Though Spokane did score 22 points in the second quarter, the Lions were in control through most of the contest.
Headrick made three, 3-pointers in the first half and scored 15 of his team-high 25 points in the opening quarters.
Croney scored 12 of his 22 points in the 43-point first half. Campbell added 16 points; Rhodes had seven points; both Ussery and Proetz scored six points; and Young finished with three points.