Geneva finally solves East Aurora

The final score was as misleading as the boys basketball teams' respective records entering the game Monday night in Geneva.

In the final game of the Vikings' MLK Day of Hoops festivities, Geneva was seemingly clawing and scratching for the remainder of the contest after East Aurora turned three quick steals to start the first quarter into the opening 6 points of the game.

But when it mattered most for the Vikings on their home court, senior stars Mitch Mascari and Jack McDonald came to the forefront to cement a 55-42 victory.

Mascari and McDonald scored 7 points each in the climatic fourth quarter as the Vikings had the final 10 points in the contest.

Geneva improved to 19-1 overall while dropping the game Tomcats to 7-14.

"Our game plan going in was to keep the ball out of the hands of No. 3 (McDonald) and No. 22 (Mascari) as much as possible," East Aurora coach Ricky Robinson said. "For the most part we were able to do that - until the last two and half minutes of the game."

Robinson slightly exaggerated the time frame of the fourth quarter, but his message was undeniably on point.

Kross Garth split a pair of free throws for Geneva to forge the final tie of the game at 37-37.

On the Vikings' ensuing possession, McDonald hit a step-back 3-pointer to give Geneva the lead for good.

East Aurora forward Josh Pryor had the last of his team-high 16 points on the next trip to narrow the Tomcats' deficit to one.

But Mascari, exactly one minute after the McDonald 3-pointer, drained a set-shot 3-pointer from close to 28 feet with 4:25 remaining.

McDonald gave Geneva its largest lead of the game at 45-39 with another pair at the line, only to see the Tomcats' leading scorer Jules Williamson drain a long 3-pointer to halve the East Aurora deficit.

But four different Geneva players scored the final 10 points to account for the final score.

Mascari and McDonald finished with game-high 18 and 16 points, respectively.

"We have to work on coming out stronger," McDonald said of the Vikings' virtually entire first-half deficit. "In games like this, you have to knock down those (clutch fourth-quarter) shots."

East Aurora compensated for its relative lack of size and inexperience with pressure on seemingly every inch of the floor.

"They're a very athletic team," Mascari said. "Their hands were so quick that they were just knocking the ball out of our hands."

"We knew we didn't want it to be a track meet," McDonald said.

"With the personnel I have, we have no choice but to press," Robinson said.