Mansfield Lions win own invitational championship

One week earlier, the Mansfield Lions’ basketball team opened their season winless in the Willard Basketball Classic against three larger schools, though they gained some valuable experience while also playing without a pair of key players.
One week later, the Lions are now on to something as they knocked off a pair of four-win teams in Springfield Catholic and Willow Springs en route to becoming the 88th Annual Mansfield Basketball Invitational champions.
They are now the fifth Wright County basketball team this season to win a tournament title.
“We came in here talking about how playing the bigger schools would prepare us for here,” said a proud Mansfield head coach Craig Campbell after his Lions defeated Jay Osborne’s Springfield Catholic in the championship game, 54-49.
One of the big reasons for his team’s success was the play of sophomore Jase Headrick, who was named the tournament MVP after scoring 20 points in the finals.
“He’s always in the gym; he’s a gym rat,” Coach Campbell noted about Headrick. “He takes 500-600 shots a day and so does Haven (Proetz).”
In the first quarter of the finals, Riley Stidham scored five of his team’s 12 points as the Lions trailed early, 14-12.
Both Headrick and Proetz hit back-to-back 3-pointers for a 6-0 run early in the second quarter to take a 15-14 lead.
Unfortunately, Springfield Catholic responded with an 11-0 run for a 25-18 edge.
Mansfield ended the third quarter with a 9-0 run that ended with Kellen Campbell’s basket.
Headrick hit a big 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to keep the game tied at 42-42.
Kellen Campbell scored a needed basket minutes later to keep Springfield Catholic’s edge to just one point.
Headrick made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:57 left in the game. He then assisted Proetz for a 3-pointer with 1:10 left in the game that put the Lions up 52-47.
Springfield Catholic had the same player fouled two times on 3-point shot attempts in the final 30 seconds. Fortunately, he made just 2-of-6 free throw attempts as Mansfield would hold on late for the five point win.
The Lions made 19-of-36 shots from the field and 8-of-12 free throws in the win.
Headrick made four 3-pointers and scored 20 points with three assists.
Stidham, an All-Tournament selection, scored nine points and one assist; Proetz, another  All-Tournament selection, scored eight points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal; Fisher Croney added six points and two rebounds; Kellen Campbell had four points, six rebounds and three assists; Blake Henry scored three points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block; Charlie Grubbs had two points and two rebounds; and Malachi Ussery tallied two points, two steals and one rebound.
Coach Campbell went on to say that his team started to believe in themselves after their big win in the semifinals over Willow Springs.
In the semifinals, the Lions defeated a Willow Springs team that just reached the finals of the Strafford Invitational.
A 25-point fourth quarter helped the host Lions to seal a 68-57 victory.
Mansfield took it to the Bears right out of the game as Headrick made two 3-pointers and Stidham added six points in a 19-point first quarter.
The Lions were not able to hold on to their slim one point edge before halftime though as Willow Springs went into the break up 33-32.
Proetz did score five points in the second quarter for the Lions.
Stidham added four more points in the third quarter to help Mansfield take a one-point lead into the final eight minutes of play.
Their Mansfield made 16-of-19 free throws with Proetz making 7-of-8 and finishing with 12 points.
Headrick made all six of his free throws down the stretch to help seal the win.
Proetz paced the Lions with 20 points; Headrick had 18; Stidham added 13; Ussery scored six points; both Henry and Kellen Campbell had four points; and Croney added three points.
In the first round, the Lions jumped out to a 22-9 first quarter lead on Gloria Deo and went on to win the game, 69-30.
Headrick made three 3-pointers in the first half and scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the first half.
Proetz made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points in the win.
Kellen Campbell added 10 points; Zach McCrite added seven; both Croney and Stidham had five points; Riley Pierson had two points; while both Grubbs and Ussery had one point.
On Friday, Dec. 20, the Lions will host Mountain Grove on Homecoming night. The varsity contest will start around 7:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.