Frank Mason’s TBT Heroics prove that he still runs the state of Kansas

The JHX Alumni team is always a fun watch in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), as Jayhawk fans from all ages tune in to see some familiar faces of the past. The stakes were even higher on Friday night as JHX faced a winner-take-all game 3 against the Purple Reign (K-State Alumni). Luckily, Frank Mason III did what KU fans all expected him to, and hit the game-winner:

While it wasn’t Mason III’s best overall performance, recording just 9 points on 3/12 shooting, he once again took KU to the promised land against K-State and broke the Wildcats hearts yet again, this time on their home court in Manhattan. He added 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, while playing a game-high 40 minutes in the 62-55 win, but his final layup was the headliner.

Zeke Mayo carried the offensive load for most of the night, recording a huge 25 points on 7/15 shooting. Meanwhile, Jacob Hanna added a 10-point 10-rebound double-double, but outside of Mason III, Mayo, and Hanna, many of the other JHX hoopers struggled, especially at the beginning of the game where the K-State Alumni got off to a 12-0 lead early. It didn’t matter in the end.

This performance from Mason III comes just two days following his 23-point outburst in the monster 84-80 comeback win in game 2, where he scored 10 of the final 13 points for JHX and helped erase what was a 14-point deficit in game 2. It is clear after these two games, despite what K-State’s Michael Beasley might argue, that Frank Mason III still runs the state of Kansas.

JHX Hoops to face more familiar faces in the next round of TBT

Mason III, Mayo, and the rest of the JHX crew will now face off with the Aftershocks (Wichita State Alumni) in the single-elimination portion of the tournament. This will be no easy task as the Aftershocks are actually the TBT defending champions. The game will take place on Monday night in the Charles Koch Arena.

The Aftershocks are actually led by a non-Wichita State alum in Marcus Keene, who went to Youngstown State and Central Michigan in college, but there’s also former Jayhawk Connor Frankamp, who played 27 games for KU in 2013-2014 before transferring to Wichita State, and a slew of other former Shockers like Markis McDuffie, Corey Washington, and Rashard Kelly.

JHX Hoops are just 3 wins away from the $2,000,000 prize and they have as good a shot as any team that’s left in the tournament to win the whole thing. Can Mason III do the unthinkable and hit back-to-back-back game winners when Monday night rolls around? Can Mayo stay hot and carry the offense yet again? Can the rest of JHX find their shots at the right time?

There are lots of stories entering this crucial TBT match and there is a chance that JHX Hoops plays their final game on Monday night, but at least one thing is set in stone… The Jayhawks proved to be better than the Wildcats yet again, in large part thanks to KU legend (and eventual coach?) Frank Mason III.

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