Mason Richardson Goes Bezerk as Mustang Boys Overcome Adversity to Win

North Nodaway came into their game with Essex shorthanded, without one of their best ballhandlers in Ethan Fry (ankle), and stuck with a four game losing streak. But they emerged from their hell week with everyone else stepping up their game as they responded with a 56-37 win against Essex. Aydan Blackford got his points and everyone else around him picked up their game. But it was Mason Richardson who picked up his game the most, flying around the floor and creating defensive havoc with 9 tips and 4 steals to go along with his 9 boards and 8 points. Blaine Clements gave North Nodaway some quality minutes off the bench in the post.

Essex came into the game as a carbon copy of the Mustangs, with a tall skinny post in Qwintyn Vanatta, who can dunk it and who is taller than Damian Dailey. Like North Nodaway, they have a cast of quick guards who can go off at any given moment, and they had a similar record, with four wins so far. The teams started off battling to a 5-5 standoff, but then Aydan Blackford carried the Mustangs on his shoulders in the first quarter, scoring 12 of his team's 14 points and took a charge on defense as the Mustangs took a 14-7 lead after one.

But then North Nodaway went through a stretch where they had trouble finishing layups against the 6'6" Vanatta, and the Trojans started fighting back, getting the game tied at 14 on Jacob Robinette's fast break with 4:53 left. North Nodaway rebuilt the lead from downtown, getting triples from Aydan Blackford, Mason Richardson, and Brice Trimble to make it 25-16, but then Essex sharpshooter Tony Racine hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 25-19. Then, North Nodaway pulled the trigger too soon on a last second shooting situation and Essex rushed it down the floor, with Vanatta scoring at the buzzer to cut it to 25-21.

North Nodaway switched from zone to man to start the second half and got some stops, getting a triple from Blackford, a drive and a pullup from Owen Martin, and a putback from Jeremiah Dobbins to make it 32-21 with 5:58 left in the third. Essex started swarming and pressing and cut the lead to 34-28 on Racine's breakaway, but Brice Trimble hit a 3-pointer and Jeremiah Dobbins got a stealafter a Blackford tip and Brice Trimble finished to make it 39-28. 

The Mustangs led 42-31 after the third, but Essex had 0 fouls at the start of the fourth and could afford to be very aggressive on defense, leading to a lot of chaotic situations. But North Nodaway thrived in the chaos and Mason Richardson knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 45-31 to start the fourth. Damian Dailey, who had been held scoreless by Vanatta through three quarters, finally got untracked in the fourth, scoring twice to make it 49-32. Robinette's 3-pointer cut it to 49-34, but then Blaine Clements got on the board in transition and Mason Richardson, who got blood on his jersey and had to borrow someone else's, came back and went coast to coast to make it 53-34. Kaden Buick hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 53-37, only for Damian Dailey to hit a dagger three with 46 seconds left, prompting Essex to throw in the towel.

Aydan Blackford had 20, Brice Trimble 11, Mason Richardson 8, Damian Dailey 7, Jeremiah Dobbins and Owen Martin 4 each, and Blaine Clements 2. 

Mason Richardson and Damian Dailey had 9 boards for the Mustangs, who rebounded well against the 6'6" Vanatta. Aydan Blackford had 7, Jeremiah Dobbins 6, Brice Trimble and Blaine Clements 3, and Owen Martin 2. 

Owen Martin had 6 assists. Damian Dailey had 5, Mason Richardson 4, Jeremiah Dobbins 2, and Aydan Blackford 1.

Mason Richardson had 9 tips. Brice Trimble had 5, Damian Dailey 4, and Aydan Blackford 2.

Mason Richardson had 4 steals. Damian Dailey had 3, Aydan Blackford and Owen Martin had 2, and Blaine Clements, Brice Trimble, and Jeremiah Dobbins had 1 each.