Mason Hurdles Glenvar, Playing for Fourth State Hoops Title Saturday

RICHMOND - When the dust cleared Thursday night the Lady Mustangs had punched their ticket to Saturday’s championship game but not without a tough fight from Glenvar High.

Mason had more height than Glenvar but the Highlanders wouldn’t let the Lady Mustangs pound the ball down low in the first half. Ashley Alexander changed all that scoring the first second half points in the paint en route to a 64-48 win over Glenvar.

“We’re an inside first team,” said Mason Head Coach LaBryan Thomas. “I think everyone in the region knows we want to start off in the paint.”

The Lady Mustangs will play for the school’s fourth Virginia High School League championship when they face off against Gate City Saturday. Unlike Glenvar, Gate City has at least four players 5 feet 10 inches tall to match up against Mason’s post players. The game will be played at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center at 3 p.m.

With Alexander and Stephanie Cheney both on the bench in the first quarter with two fouls apiece, Katie Goodwin came in to be a defensive presence for the Lady Mustangs. The freshman came off the bench and grabbed three rebounds and sunk two foul shots. Thomas said Goodwin’s role is to provide that spark off the bench.

“Katie’s a freshman but we count on her to come in to grab rebounds,” Thomas said.

Glenvar went on a 7-0 run from late in the first quarter into the second, grabbing rebounds and getting second shots. Nick Stewart said he was surprised his team out rebounded the Lady Mustangs 49-41 in the game. He said there was a definite size difference but he was proud of the way the Highlanders played.

“We’re used to playing against taller girls but not as skilled as them,” Stewart said. “We got outplayed.”

The Lady Mustangs knew they had to stop Glenvar’s Jessi Strom if they wanted to win. Strom, one of the Highlander’s top players, only scored four of her 17-points in the first half. Earlier in the week, Thomas said it was up to senior Krista Kelly to in the game.

“We really counting on her,” Cheney said. “She played lock down defense all night.”

Thomas said he likes his chances against Gate City. He said his team is playing well and as long as they keep the intensity, Saturday’s game shouldn’t be a problem.

“If I was a betting man, I would put my money on us,” he said.

FREE THROWS

Cheney scored a game high 20-points and grabbed 13-rebounds. Lauren Kane added 13-points Kelly added 9-points. Goodwin grabbed eight rebounds and scored 7-points off the bench.

The Lady Mustangs only turned the ball over 11 times to Glenvar’s 16. Mason went 20-31 from the free throw line in the game. Cheney said “I think free throws really helped us win.”