It got much closer than they would’ve preferred, but the Conway Bears can finally say they won a close game.
Leading by 13 with three minutes to go, Conway saw its comfortable lead cut down to just four points in the final minute but survived for a 64-59 win over Mansfield on homecoming night.
Entering the game, Conway (13-7 overall) was 0-for-4 in games decided by six points or less.
“We’re 13-7 but it’s a little deceiving,” said Conway coach Jeff Cope. “We’ve lost four games by a total of 10 points, and we had a chance to win at the end in three of those.
"We feel like we're in really good shape (going forward). We're battle tested, but so is everybody else.”
GAME PHOTOS: MANSFIELD VS. CONWAY
Andrew Huckaby paced Conway with 18 points as all five Bears’ starters scored in double figures. All 64 of Conway’s points came from its starting lineup.
And every point was needed.
Trailing 59-46 with under three minutes to go, Mansfield went on a run. Aided by a couple of Conway turnovers, a Jonah Williamson 3-pointer sparked an 8-0 Lions run.
Later, another Williamson 3-pointer got Mansfield within 61-57 with 25 seconds left. The Lions would get no closer, as Conway hit a pair of free throws then forced a Mansfield turnover to seal the win.
“(Conway) took it to us early and we kind of laid back a little bit. We got more aggressive, especially inside, late,” said Mansfield coach Terry Writer. “It takes the inside game to go with the outside game to be successful. First half, all of our points were coming basically from the outside. We got it inside a little more in the second half, cut the deficit down, just ran out of time.”
Conway had early success against Mansfield’s 1-3-1 zone, hitting five of their total 8 3-pointers in the first half. Huckaby and Cody Delcour each made three treys for Conway.
"We started getting the ball in the middle of the lane," Cope said. "When that happens against their zone, they had to collapse and we were able to find shooters in corners."
Mason Roy scored a game-high 24 for Mansfield in the loss.
Since a pair of close losses to Fair Grove and Willard in December’s Blue and Gold Tournament, Mansfield (14-6, 2-1 Summit Conference) had won eight of its nine last games entering Friday night.
Mansfield hosts Seymour on Tuesday night. Seymour upset Mansfield 44-37 in early December in the Lions’ own tournament.
With the win, Conway improves to 13-7 overall (3-0 Summit), setting up a league showdown Tuesday night when the Bears host Hartville (16-4, 2-0 Summit).
Conway 64, Mansfield 59
Mansfield 11 7 15 26 — 59
Conway 19 11 19 15 — 64
Mansfield – Mason Roy 24, Jonah Williamson 12, Dylan Caruso 11, Trenton Emerick 5, Spencer Greene 3, Justin Campbell 2, Bret Berry 2
Conway – Andrew Huckaby 18, Taylor Simpson 13, Austin Chastain 11, Chris Varuska 11, Cody Delcour 11
Mansfield B 55, Conway B 45
