With 'bus mode' mentality, Mason boys basketball continues to thrive
IONIA — It started with a bus ride this fall for several members of the Mason boys basketball team.
On a trip back from one of their football playoff games, several players were messing around and getting on Connor Osypczuk's nerves
Osypczuk got mad. And that anger translated to the next few practices when he brought plenty of intensity.
That chain of events led to a "bus mode" identity formed by Mason. And it has become an approach the Bulldogs have used this winter and is featured on their warm-up shirts.
"We just say bus mode — we've all got to have the bus mode mentality (and play with intensity)," Mason sophomore Levi Stambaugh said. "It's just kind of like our slogan."
That theme has helped Mason put together a strong season in which it has established itself as one of the top boys teams in Greater Lansing.
Mason continued to show that Tuesday with its 60-44 road victory over Ionia in a matchup of CAAC division leaders.
Mason, the leader in the CAAC Red, led by as much as 27 while handing Ionia, the first-place team in the White, its first loss.
"We knew it would be a big game," Stambaugh said. "They're ranked high in a lot of the standings around the Lansing area and we just wanted to prove ourselves again and get a big (win)."
Balance was again on display for Mason with Stambaugh leading the attack with 16 points.
Kaleb Parrish had 14 points, Luke Marlan added 13 points and Cason Carswell finished with nine points for Mason (10-2).
Lance Atkinson had nine points to lead Ionia (10-1).
Mason had a 33-22 advantage at halftime and took control with a big third quarter. Mason held Ionia to one field goal and three points in the period while pushing its lead to 25.
"We talked about some things at halftime," Mason coach Lee Chaney. "I tried to adjust a couple of things. This is an experienced group and they know what needed to be done. It was just a matter (of digging in).
"I think our effort picked up in the third quarter. I think they understood they had to do some things differently from the first quarter. We're a good team and when we play like that we're going to be hard to beat."
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Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Mason boys basketball tops Ionia in matchup of CAAC leaders
