Four of Mason’s six victories have come by three points or fewer — including a pair of overtime decisions — underscoring a start defined less by margin and more by resolve.
It is also a start that reflects the steady imprint of first-year head coach CJ Fleming, who took over the program last spring following a successful two-year run at Badin.
“We’re getting tested every night,” Fleming said. “That’s the reality of playing in the Greater Miami Conference. There are no easy games. You have to show up, compete and execute, because if you don’t, somebody is going to beat you.”
The Comets did exactly that against Oak Hills, surviving a low-scoring defensive battle that extended into overtime.
Senior Brycen Johnson scored a team-high 17 points, while junior guard Sid Wortham added 16 as Mason leaned on toughness and patience rather than tempo.
The Comets shot just 11-for-27 from the field but made timely free throws and defensive stops when the game tightened.
Johnson, a 6-foot senior guard, has been Mason’s offensive anchor through the first six games, averaging 21.2 points per contest. Yet Fleming has been quick to deflect attention away from individual numbers.
“It’s not just one person,” Fleming said. “Brycen has been great, but we don’t win these games without everybody buying into their role. Whether it’s defense, rebounding, making the extra pass or coming off the bench ready, it’s been a collective effort.”
That emphasis on shared responsibility has been a constant theme since Fleming arrived in April, when he spoke about bringing a new identity and mindset to a program coming off a 4-19 season.
Mason started 1-8 a year ago, making the contrast to this winter’s opening stretch even more pronounced.
Fleming’s résumé includes turning around a Badin program that had endured three consecutive losing seasons, compiling a 35-18 record and reaching regional semifinals. Still, he has resisted using record comparisons as motivation.
“We don’t talk about records,” Fleming said. “We don’t talk about stats. We really try to take this one day at a time — one practice, one possession. If you focus on the process and competing the right way, the results will take care of themselves.”
The Comets’ early schedule has already included nail-biters against Fairmont, St. Xavier and Fairfield, along with road wins at Princeton, Colerain and Oak Hills.
Each close finish has served as a teaching moment rather than a measuring stick.
“In this league, you have to be mentally tough,” Fleming said. “There are going to be runs, there are going to be swings, and you have to stay together. Our guys have done a really good job of that so far.”
Mason last opened a season 6-0 during its 2018-19 campaign, when the Comets started 8-0. Fleming is aware of the history, but he prefers to keep his focus squarely on the next challenge.
For now, that approach has Mason unbeaten and battle-tested — a team learning, game by game, how to close, how to trust and how to compete in one of the state’s most demanding leagues.
“Our guys understand that being 6-0 doesn’t guarantee anything,” Fleming said. “What matters is how hard we’re willing to play and how connected we stay as a group. If we keep doing that, we’ll give ourselves a chance every night.”
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