The Massillon Tigers are on a historic run. Winners of 20 straight contests, they now have a record of 23-1. 1937 was the last time the Tigers were on this level, as they went 22-2, falling in the Class A state title game versus Hamilton. The program-record 23rd victory was not just any old victory; it brought a district title to Massillon, who has not had this triumph since 2003 when they downed McKinley in the Civic Center.
Saturday’s win was a resounding one. The Tigers controlled the floor from start to finish, jumping out to an early 14-0 lead. Massillon led by 19 at the half and turned the game in to a rout in the second half. They would shut out Wadsworth for the entire 3rd quarter and more than half of the 4th, inducing a running clock and a quick finish. The buzzer sounded with all reserves on the floor and the Tigers triumphed with a score of 55-22.
Game Recap
Massillon got things started quickly. A takeaway by the Tigers’ defense, which smothered the Grizzlies for the majority of the contest, led to a drive and 2 points for Jadyce Thigpen. Massillon had the early lead and never looked back. Xavier Williams followed the opening bucket up with a steal of his own and found Isaiah Lamp for a score. Another turnover on an offensive foul gave the Tigers the ball and 2 points as Thigpen once again danced into the paint and scored. Massillon continued to keep the defensive pressure up, forcing another turnover and picking up yet another steal. Gio Jackson Jr. leaned in, scored, and found the basket again soon after off a backdoor feed. Williams made the crowd go wild with a pair of nifty shots and the Tigers climbed out to a 14-0 lead. Wadsworth would finally break through for their first basket of the game with 1:42 remaining in the 1st quarter. They would add a pair of baskets late in the quarter, but Massillon was up double digits at 16-6 after 1. Marcus Garner opened the 2nd with a bucket. He would add another minutes later to bump the Tigers’ lead to 22-9; Jackson Jr., Williams, and Braylon Gamble added buckets as Massillon quickly started to blow out the Grizzlies. A behind-the-back pass from Jackson Jr. to Lamp and the following pass to Thigpen led to a dagger 3. The Tigers were having a ball. A buzzer-beating layup from Wadsworth was the extent of their success in the quarter; they trailed 35-16 at the half.
The shot at the buzzer before the half would be the last made shot from any point of the court for Wadsworth for the next 12 1/2 minutes of play. It would, in fact, one of the few shot attempts that the Grizzlies had until the 4th quarter. Massillon’s defense was so heavily swarming that they would pitch a shutout and rarely allow an attempted shot until the second group of reserves came in with just a few minutes left in the contest. Three straight steals opened up the second half as Massillon annihilated the Grizzlies’ offense. Gio Jackson Jr. added a pair of buckets, Jadyce Thigpen put one in, and Xavier Williams also put a pair of shots in as the Tigers piled it on. Senior Damarion Day put the icing on the cake in the 3rd quarter as he took it to the basket for a score and a 49-16 lead. Massillon made it a running clock in the 4th with a couple quick scores from Jackson Jr. and Terrion Wells. With 6:00 remaining, the Tiger reserves checked in. With just a couple minutes remaining, the Junior Varsity line checked in. Wadsworth scored their first bucket since the 2nd quarter with 3:30 remaining in the 4th. The Tigers milked the clock and walked out with a blowout 55-22 victory and their first district title in 22 years.
Massillon will take on Avon on Wednesday at the College of Wooster in an attempt to reach their first regional final since 2003. Tip will be at 5PM.
