4-0 Mainland Mustangs set to host Ocean City Red Raiders on Jan. 5
LINWOOD — Mainland Regional High School’s girls basketball team is ending 2023 on a great note.
Sisters Ava and Bella Mazur combined for 36 points as the Mustangs defeated Gloucester Catholic 50-34 on Dec. 21. The whole team was dominant in the win, as they were ahead by as many as 26 in the fourth quarter before taking their foot off the gas.
Leading scorer for Mainland this season Kasey Bretones scored seven and assisted on multiple plays as she helped the Mazur sisters put together an impressive game.
The Mustangs moved to 4-0 on the young season and have won three of their four games by double digits.
They will start 2024 on Jan. 3 on the road versus Holy Spirit. After that game they will host their heated rival the Ocean City Red Raiders on Jan. 5. The Mustangs will look for revenge after last season ended with a loss to Ocean City in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III championship game. Both games start at 5:30 p.m.
Bella Mazur started the game versus Gloucester Catholic on fire. The senior made a wide-open three and then stole the ball away on defense for a layup to score the first five points for the Mustangs.
Later in the first quarter, Ava Mazur made her own three-point shot and a great inbound play by Sydney Stokes gave Mainland a comfortable 12-4 lead to start the second quarter.
A big contributor to the large lead was Mainland’s aggressiveness on the defensive side of the ball. Multiple turnovers were forced by the Mustangs, but they couldn’t turn those stops into points frequently.
“I thought we were settling too much in the first half and taking too many jump shots instead of getting to the rim,” head coach Scott Betson said after the game.
Ava Mazur made a three-pointer in the second quarter but only one other long-range shot, by Bella Mazur, fell for the Mustangs in the period. All of the other points the team scored in the period were by driving to the basket as their shooting went cold.
Gloucester Catholic scored 12 points before halftime to keep within reach of Mainland at 25-16. Then the Mustangs came out slow on defense and gave up a quick four points. The lead got as close as eight points before Betson’s team put Gloucester Catholic away.
His wish for the team to attack the rim was granted as they forced three consecutive turnovers and scored six points in a flash. Ava Mazur added another two three-pointers to increase the lead to 41-20 by the start of the fourth quarter.
They caused as many turnovers as they did in the first half, but Mainland started converting them into points.
Stokes immediately made a three to pad the Mustang lead. Ava Mazur followed up with two more long-range shots to give herself six made threes in the game. Mainland led 50-24 with four minutes left to play and took their foot off the gas. With a giant 26-point lead, most of the starters came off the floor and Mainland coasted along to a 50-34 win.
Betson credited his team for their performance in the third quarter as they controlled the game from there.
Mainland’s big three of Bretones and the Mazur sisters are dangerous. The seniors have been active on both sides of the floor and will look to carry their momentum into 2024.
By WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
