The Mansfield Lions cruised in their Class 3, District 10 opener on Saturday as they crushed the host Houston Tigers on their home court, 67-19.
Tom Emerick was a man on a mission in the first half as he scored 17 of his team’s 37 points in the first half.
The Lions’ defense held the host Tigers to just three points in the first quarter as Mansfield took a 17-3 lead.
In the second quarter, the Lions added 20 points on the scoreboard behind Emerick’s 12 points and Stone Sawyers’ five points.
Up 37-12 at halftime, the Lions would go not to make four 3-pointers in the third quarter while outscoring the Tigers, 32-7, in the second half.
In fact, Mansfield’s defense held Houston scoreless in the fourth quarter.
Emerick finished with 28 points; both Chase Cartwright and Sawyers had 11 points; London Dennis had seven points; Carter Garrison scored five points; Landen Campbell had three points; and both Blake Henry and Kaden Coble scored two points.
They played rival Hartville in the semifinals after press time.
Before districts, the Lions picked up their 15th win off the season when they beat Fordland, 51-39.
The Lions opened the game with a 21-point first quarter as Chase Kelley had six points.
Mansfield’s offense went quiet in the second quarter, scoring just seven points as the Eagles cut the lead down to just three points.
The Lions’ defense returned the favor in the second half as they held the Eagles to just 14 total points.
Meanwhile, Cartwright scored eight points in the fourth quarter to help seal the 12-point win.
Cartwright led the Lions with 14 points; Emerick scored 12; Kelley had nine points; both Dennis and Campbell had six points; while Sawyers scored four points.
