Kevin Jones scored a game-high 36 points but Mount Vernon was beaten 73-69 by Mason County of Kentucky last night in the Iolani Classic in Hawaii.

The Knights, ranked 15th in the nation by USA Today, led by seven points early in the third quarter and held a four-point lead with three minutes to play.

Darius Miller, a Mason County senior headed to Kentucky, scored 23 points. Mason County hit seven straight free throws to take a 63-59 lead with 2:30 to play and never trailed again.

Jabari Hinds hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds to play to pull within two but that's the closest the Knights could get.

Mason County hit 8 of 9 free throws in the final three minutes and 19 of 24 for the game. Mount Vernon (4-1) was 14 for 21 from the line.

Jones, a senior headed to West Virginia, had 20 of his points in the first half. Sherrod Wright added 20 points.

Mount Vernon, the two-time defending Class AA state champs, will play Iolani High School (Hawaii) today and face CHSAA power Rice (Manhattan) tomorrow. Both games are at 11:30 p.m. EST.