Frank Mason's Late Heroics Lift JHX Hoops Past AfterShocks, Into TBT Semifinals
· Yahoo Sports
JHX Hoops survived a physical battle Monday night and is one win away from playing for The Basketball Tournament championship.
Behind another standout performance from Zeke Mayo and two clutch 3-pointers from Frank Mason III in the Elam Ending, the Kansas alumni defeated defending champion AfterShocks 64-59 at Charles Koch Arena to advance to the TBT semifinals.
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Mayo once again led JHX Hoops with 25 points, while Jacob Hanna added 15. But it was Mason who delivered the game's defining moment.
With JHX holding a 61-59 advantage in the Elam Ending, Mason buried a left-wing 3-pointer to reach the target score of 64 and send the Jayhawks alumni to Lexington for a semifinal matchup with Kentucky alumni team La Familia.
"I saw a guy come up and set a screen. The secondary defender kind of stepped back, and I just pulled it because I hit one right before that," Mason said after the game.
The victory came despite a first-half altercation that dramatically changed the complexion of the game.
With 2:43 remaining before halftime, a battle for an offensive rebound between Mario Chalmers and Rashard Kelly escalated into a bench-clearing confrontation. Tournament officials ejected Chalmers and Kelly, along with every player who left the bench, resulting in four ejections for JHX Hoops and five for the AfterShocks.
Rather than rattling Kansas, head coach Sherron Collins believed the shortened benches actually worked in his team's favor.
"I like our six," Collins said. "Unfortunate that happened, but I think that gave us the upper hand. I think our six was better than their six."
The teams traded leads throughout the second half before JHX entered the Elam Ending with a 56-55 advantage and a target score of 64.
After several empty possessions, Mason knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to finish off the defending champions and send the Jayhawks alumni into the tournament's final four.
Following the win, Mason said the team's work is far from finished.
"Just to get to that fourth and fifth game is a really exciting feeling, and we're just looking forward to taking care of business in Lexington."
JHX Hoops will face La Familia on Wednesday with a berth in the TBT championship game at stake.
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