GREEN TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Mason junior forward Noah Pedelty thought about Friday night's game all day.
He was in class Friday and envisioned a scenario in which he would score 10 points off the bench at Oak Hills.
Little did he know that, hours later, he would score a career-high 25 points off the bench in the Comets' 76-54 win over host Oak Hills.
There was plenty of motivation Friday night for Pedelty and his teammates. After all, it was Oak Hills that handed the Comets their only loss this season in a Dec. 16 game at Mason.
Add to the fact the Oak Hills student section jeered Pedelty from the start of the game with large placards of his tweets from last season, and there was a recipe to make an impact in a Greater Miami Conference showdown.
"Their student section got me going," said Pedelty, who was 4 of 7 from 3-pointers and added four rebounds, three assists and three blocks. “Now I am in a good groove -- that should help."
The Comets are in a groove, all right -- a groove to the tune of nine consecutive wins. Mason (13-1, 9-1 GMC) has won 13 consecutive GMC road games going back to last season and 20 of its 21 on the road in the conference.
"I was just happy with our effort more than anything else," Mason coach Greg Richards said. "It’s going to take that kind of effort to beat a team like this. They are a well-coached team and play hard."
Mason shot 60.5 percent from the field including 11 of 19 from 3-pointers. Oak Hills shot 40.5 percent from the field.
The Comets brought plenty of energy from the outset. Senior forward Matt King’s steal and dunk on the other end set a tone early for the Comets in the first few minutes.
Mason senior guard Eddie Puisis made a pair of free throws three minutes later to give the Comets a 10-9 lead – an advantage it wouldn’t relinquish.
Puisis was 7-for-7 from the free throw line and 4 of 6 from beyond the arc en route to 23 points.
"It was the game of the year for us," Puisis said. “You could say we wanted it more than them tonight.”
Pedelty scored 10 points in the second quarter to help give Mason a 35-25 lead at halftime. He also scored 10 in the third quarter.
"Peds had finally a game of the year," Puisis said. “He finally stepped up for us. We were waiting all year for that. It was just right time and right moment. We came out wanting to win and came out confident."
Richards knows Pedelty is a very good offensive player, and he urged his junior to stay patient. Friday night will do wonders for his confidence.
"It’s a big plus especially coming off the bench and creating more space for Eddie and different guys," Richards said. "He’s an athlete kid. We were really happy for him to get off the side."
Said Pedelty: “I have been in a little funk. This will get me going.”
Puisis said he could see Pedelty was locked in from the outset. He made some defensive plays too.
“Their student section was just pestering him the whole time,” Puisis said. “You could tell he wanted it bad. That’s all he was excited for was coming out here and showing what he could do.”
Oak Hills (13-3, 9-1 GMC) was led by senior guard Cam Naber with 13 points. Senior guard Ryan Batte (Ashland signee) had nine points.
“You got to give them credit,” Oak Hills coach Mike Price said. “They came with an idea they were going to come over here and prove the first loss shouldn’t have happened. They proved it. Now we have to respond the right way.”
Oak Hills, ranked No. 2 in the WCPO Power 9, next plays at Sycamore Tuesday night. Mason, ranked No. 4, plays host to Princeton Tuesday night.
