CLEARFIELD — When a team\’s top two players manage to only shoot a combined two for 21 in the first half, and collectively as a team only manage 23 points it’s tough to foresee that team coming out on top with a victory. The Bisons, though, were able to overcome their rough start with tough defense and hot shooting in the second half to come out on top with a 78-43 victory over visiting Johnsonburg.
Clearfield came out ice cold in the first period shooting the ball poorly from every spot on the court. Senior guard Jeremy Priester did his best to keep the Bisons in the game netting six points in the quarter, while also coming up with four steals. After a quick inbound play to Priester that lead to a layup the Bisons found themselves up 10-8 at the end of one.
Picking people’s pockets seemed to be the theme for the Bisons tonight while Parker Herrington and Matt Shiner pitched in with 5 and 3 steals respectively. Clearfield also forced 30 plus Rams turnovers with a majority coming in the second half.
Clearfield and Johnsonburg battled back and forth in the second quarter with Clearfield being outscored 15-13 in the frame and finding themselves tied 23-23 at the intermission. Shiner and Jarrin Campman paced the Bisons in the frame with six and five points respectively.
Clearfield came out at as a much different team in the second half nailing shot after shot unlike in the first half of the game. All five Bison starters managed to score in the third quarter with Shiner, Campman, Herrington, Priester and Cruise Kerr combining for 27 points in the frame. Clearfield used a 19-0 run to pull away with the outright lead. The Bisons finished the third up 53-29.
In the fourth period the Bisons just continued to score, even when the Bison JV’s entered minutes into the quarter. Seven different Bisons were able to net baskets in the final frame with six of those players coming off of the bench. Every player on the Bison squad saw significant playing time on the way to the 78-43 victory.
Johnsonburg 8 15 6 14 43
Clearfield 10 13 30 25 78
Clearfield – 78
Shiner 6 11-12, Campman 4 5-8 14, Zurat 2 0-0 5, Herrington 3 0-1 7, Kerr 0 2-4 2, Wilson, Priester 4 3-4 11. N. Redden 0 0-0 0, Bowman 2 0-1 5, Johnson 1 0-0 2, A. Redden , Bell 0 2-2 2, Peterson 1 0-0 2, Mellgard 0 0-0 0, Fannin 0 0-0 0, Metz 0 0-0 0
Johnsonburg – 43
Yonker 0 0-0 0, Carnessalli 1 2-4 4. Patrick 4 2-2 10, Shuey 7 5-7 19. Streich 3 2-4 8, Weibel 0 2-4 2