[Gold Charger]

Prep Basketball: Clark tops Mason Co. for 2nd straight 10th Region title

http://www.centralkynews.com/winchesters...9966.story

MOUNT STERLING — George Rogers Clark is going back to Rupp Arena.
The Cardinals captured their second straight 10th Region championship with a 61-39 rout of Mason County Tuesday night at the MCHS Arena, giving Clark its third title in six years. The Cardinals advance to next week’s boys Sweet Sixteen at Rupp Arena and will take on 3rd Region winner Apollo at 8 p.m. Wednesday night.

During the next 24 hours, Clark will celebrate the two-peat, an accomplishment that many didn’t expect after the Cards lost most of their entire starting cast from last year’s squad that fell to Louisville Eastern in the state quarterfinals.
“Miracles happen,” Clark senior Charlie Rogers said. “We each took a piece of the puzzle and just played. I didn’t feel good tonight, but I just played through it and took my piece of the puzzle.”

Clark coach Scott Humphrey said his current flock of Cardinals were deserving of the feat.
“I know it’s kind of cliche, but this bunch has worked for four years, knowing that they only had one shot (at winning the region),” the Clark coach said afterward. “Playing time just wasn’t there in the past and I’m just thrilled to death for them.”
One of those holdovers from last year’s squad — starting point guard Bopper Stenzel — helped lead the Cards back to the promise land. Stenzel scored a game-high 24 points against the Royals and scored nine of those in the second quarter. He added 11 more in the third quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers during a 18-5 run to open the second half. The scoring spree by Clark turned a 19-12 halftime lead into a 37-17 advantage.

Stenzel provided a steady presence for his team after Clark opened by missing 15 shots on 17 attempts in the first quarter and misfired on their first seven shots from long range. Although shots were hard to come by for the Cards in the first two quarters, Clark made four treys on six attempts in the second half.
“We didn’t get rattled,” Stenzel said.

Stenzel was a steady force for Clark and Humphrey praised the effort by his senior point guard in his final region contest.
“Bopper played like the (region) player of the year and the competitor that he is,” Humphrey said. “He’s a winner and what more can you say? He loves the big moment.”

Just like the previous two region contests, Clark used its defense to fuel the offense and created 17 turnovers, scoring 21 points of the miscues by the Royals.

“We were a little tight early on, but when you defend like we do, you’ve just got to hang around and wait for your run to come,” Humphrey said. “The shots weren’t falling, but defensively (we were playing well) and that’s where we hang our hat. We just guarded, got out in transition and made some easy buckets. Once those first few threes started going, especially from Bopper, our whole team relaxed and played out of this world.”
The ending result was a memorable moment for a team that accomplished a big feat with little expectations.
“This team deserves to finish their career at Rupp¿Arena,” Humphrey said. “They do everything you’re supposed to do on and off the court to prepare to win.”

Stenzel reflected on the team’s journey after celebrating with family and friends, including brother and former Clark standout Robbie Stenzel, who just completed his freshman season at Eastern Kentucky University and was in the stands supporting his younger brother.

“It feels amazing because everybody doubted us at the beginning of the year,” Stenzel said. “I knew we could come back and win (the region) again, because we have heart. That’s what’s gotten us to where we are right now.”
The Cards are now just four heartbeats away from reaching the team’s ultimate goal of winning a state title.

Clark 05 14 27 15 — 61
Mason 08 04 11 16 — 39
CLARK (30-5) — VanCleve 5, Blanton 2, Stenzel 24, Howard 10, Rogers 7, Fatkin 13.
MASON (18-13) — Henry 5, Walton 4, Stahl 3, Black 15, Harris 2, Chambers 8, Johnson 2.