What was supposed to be a night of American wrestling dominance turned out to be a shocker for fans of stripes and stars. In a manner that no one saw coming Spencer Lee was swept off the rug by Masanosuke Ono on 26th February 2025. The Olympic silver medal and the three NCAA titles couldn’t push Lee past his Japanese opponent. But while everyone was in shock, Lee’s biggest fan, Bo Bassett, was already moving forward. Standing next to the victor, he had a smirk on his face. Was it respect? Or is the prodigy onto something? Well, let’s see.
“Teammates are hungry for more.” These are the words that Bo Bassett uttered when he had to watch FCA take the No. 1 spot. But he didn’t just say it; he meant it. The fire in his voice, the intensity in his eyes—it’s all there. And this weekend? It’s not just about redemption. It’s about history. No team in Hershey carries bigger expectations than Bishop McCort.
Last year, they shattered records and racked up the third-most team points ever. Yet he still had to watch Faith Christian celebrate at the top of the podium. This year, the Crushers aren’t just knocking at the door—they’re ready to break it down. “Obviously, the goal is to always win the tournament,” Bassett said to WTAJ. “But if we can set records and go down in history, that’s one step above. That’s what we’re shooting for.”
Faith Christian has been their one roadblock, winning back-to-back PIAA Team Championships and taking the team title in last year’s PIAA Individual Championships. The Lions are the standard. But Bishop McCort? They’ve never been closer to flipping the script. “We’ve won every single tournament we’ve been at this year except Ironman, where they were at, and then the (state championship) duel with them,” junior Jax Forrest said. “We know what we’re up against, but we’re ready.”
And so far, that’s exactly what they’re proving. After Day 1 in Hershey, Bishop McCort leads the standings with 58.5 points. Faith Christian trails by four. Both teams have ten wrestlers alive in the quarterfinals. “If we wrestle like we did last weekend, I know we’ll beat them,” Forrest added. The crushers are peaking at the right time.
While we mostly focus on the individual accolades with the PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships, Bishop McCort is striving for team success in Hershey.
The Crushers currently sit in first place after the first day.
@WTAJnews @BoBassett06 @JaxForrest6 @samherring06 pic.twitter.com/Qlle7eguxw
— Riley Holsinger (@HolsingerRiley) March 7, 2025
They dominated the PIAA Southwest Regional, setting records for champions, medalists, and team points while qualifying 12 wrestlers for states. The confidence is sky-high, and for good reason. Penn State commit Sam Herring is back from injury. His brother Eli is surging. Bo’s younger brother, Keegan Bassett, is another rising force.
And as Sam Herring put it—this isn’t just about Pennsylvania. “For that one, it would mean that we’re the best in the country,” Herring said. “So, that’s even cooler.” The stakes couldn’t be higher. A state title is one thing, but a national statement? That’s the real prize.
Bo Bassett Faces Unexpected Challenge from Japanese Sensation
Bo Bassett had his roadmap figured out! And that was to dominate the junior ranks and then transition to the senior level and cement his legacy as the next American wrestling great. But sports have a way of rewriting even the best-laid plans, don’t they? Enter Masanosuke Ono—the Japanese sensation who just flipped the script.
February 26 was supposed to be just another big wrestling day. And then it happened. Ono stunned the world by taking down Spencer Lee—the Olympic silver medalist and three-time NCAA champion. Just like that, the wrestling landscape shifted. But then something else caught everyone’s attention. Bo Bassett. Standing beside Ono. Posing for a picture.
What was going through his head? Was he already processing the implications? Because here’s the kicker—this wasn’t the first time these two had crossed paths. Bassett first noticed Ono at the U20 World Championships in Albania. Back then, Ono wasn’t a world champion yet, but the buzz around him was undeniable.
“A lot of people who knew who he was were like, ‘Hey, that guy’s legit.’ But that was before he won any titles,’’ Bassett recalled. They didn’t wrestle. Just trained together. But something stuck. “He was really nice… outgoing, an awesome guy.” But let’s be real—wrestling isn’t about being nice. It’s about proving who’s the best.
And now? Ono isn’t just some promising young talent anymore. He’s the guy who shook up American wrestling. So here’s the real question—is Bassett ready for the challenge? Because if (or when) they face off, it won’t just be a match. It’ll be a statement.
The post Putting Spencer Lee in Dust, Wrestling Prodigy Bo Bassett Makes Feelings Clear About Upcoming Competition: “Teammates Are Hungry” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
