Boys Hoops Tourney Run Ends After Tough Battle With Mason

Posted on: March 3, 2019

The 2018-19 Milford High School boys basketball season will be remembered as one where a midseason turnaround catapulted the Eagles into an exciting tournament run. Seeded just 17^th, the Eagles went toe-to-toe with No. 3 Mason before the Comets pulled away at the end for a 60-50 victory in the OHSAA District semifinals.

This season, brimming with high hopes at its outset, saw the Eagles with a record of just 4-8 in early January. But behind the leadership of a strong seven-man senior class, Milford rallied to win nine of its last 13 games and win a pair of OHSAA Tournament games for the first time since 2014-15.

GAME REWIND

The first quarter was an intense battle with the Comets scoring the first five points before the Eagles rallied with four straight. By the end of the period, Mason held a hard fought 10-6 lead.

The battle continued into the second quarter with the Eagles drawing within two points twice in a one minute span near the midway point. Mason looked like it would have a seven-point lead at the break but Connor Foster connected on a jump shot in the waning seconds to set the score at 23-18 at halftime.

The Comets scored the first four points of the third quarter, before a three-pointer by Steven Huxell brought the Eagles back within six at 27-21. Four points by Huxell and a three by Jake Ayler made up a 7-2 run by the Eagles that brought them back within two with 2:22 left. Mason though scored the final four points of the third and the scoreboard showed a 42-36 Comets lead with eight minutes to play.

The fourth quarter began with a 7-0 Milford run that, with 5:43 remaining gave the Eagles their first and only lead of the night at 43-42. The final points of the stretch, a lay-up by Huxell, would go down as Milford’s final field goal of the game. Despite making 7 of 10 free throws in the final minutes, Milford could get no closer than four points as Mason pulled away for the win.

RECORDS

Milford 13-12

Mason 18-4

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Steven Huxell 13 points, 3 rebounds

Jake Ayler 12 points, 5 assists

Mason

Landen Long 14 points, 3 rebounds

Mitchell Greer 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

NUGGETS OF NOTE: The Eagles finished the year with a record of 13-12, marking the program’s 12^th winning season in the last 14 years.

FINAL GAME STATS