Mansfield Senior 67, Columbus Academy 63

Despite a career-high 40 points from Jason Singleton, Vikings drop their second straight

By 270 Hoops staff writer Greg Glasser

GAHANNA, OH - The feeling of defeat has been a mostly unfamiliar experience for Columbus Academy in recent memory.

After going 72-9 the last three seasons, capped by a program best 28-1 record en route to a Division V state runner-up finish last year, the Vikings have opened up this season with two straight losses as they fell to Mansfield Senior on Tuesday 67-63 at home. It was their second consecutive Division III opponent after previously losing to Centennial 76-68 on Saturday.

Although the Vikings brought back one of the top players in Ohio in senior and Harvard signee Jason Singleton, head coach Jeff Warstler was forced to overcome the departure of seven seniors and four starters. And with that inexperience comes some growing pains and learning lessons, which was evident on Wednesday as the Vikings faced a 20+ second-half deficit, but cut the Tygers lead down to one possession with 52 seconds remaining in the game.

“[The game] got super fast, super quick. I thought we got shellshocked early,” Warstler said. “They got hot and it steam rolled. We couldn’t get a ball in the basket, we turned it over too much. The second quarter was completely chaos, which is just not us.”