BELLEFONTE – Facing adversity for the second time in three nights the Clearfield Bison boys basketball team needed someone to step forward and take charge.
With 6’ 7” Cody Spaid not available for the Bison, and leading scorer Will Myers picking up three quick first quarter fouls, Clearfield head coach Nate Glunt found an answer in the 56-39 win over Bellefonte on the Red Raiders’ home floor Wednesday night.
Hello, Evan Brown !!
The junior Bison guard sizzled the nets for a career high 27 points that included five three-pointers, none of which touched any iron.
Glunt was truly impressed with Brown, saying after the game, “Evan (Brown) stepped up so big for us tonight. We needed someone with a hot hand and he provided it. What a great effort.”
After being outplayed by Punxsutawney on Monday night in its first loss of the season, Clearfield wasted no time bolting in front of Bellefonte.
The Bison jumped out to a 12-0 lead with 4:31 left in the first quarter thanks to five points by Brown.
Bellefonte didn‘t fold though, as the Red Raiders came back to make a game of it, 15-10 in favor of Clearfield after one.
The Raiders utilized a 7-0 run at the end of the opening quarter to make it close, and then hit the first bucket of the second frame to pull to within three of Clearfield, 15-12, with 7:36 remaining before halftime.
Later in the second, Caleb Strouse, a senior, would hit two straight buckets to give Clearfield a more comfortable lead with 2:46 before the half at 22-14.
Once again, however, Bellefonte would not go away and ended the second quarter on an 8-0 run to tie the game at the intermission, 22-22.
Glunt spoke about Bellefonte, commenting, “Bellefonte played really hard. They are very well coached and schooled. And they are also a very scrappy ball club.”
Clearfield opened the second half, just like the first half, this time on a 7-0 run to retake the lead, one they would not give up that gave the Bison win number six on the year against one loss.
And it was Brown with a monster third quarter that enabled the Bison to take a double digit margin into the final eight minutes at 43-30.
Brown hit two three-pointers that propelled him to pour in 14 fourth quarter tallies.
The Bison outscored their hosts in the final stanza, 13-9, to come up with the 17 point victory.
Will Myers assisted the Clearfield offense and Brown with 10 points.
The Red Raiders had Kellen Moss score 10 in a losing effort. Bellefonte is now 2-5 on the season.
Glunt closed with, “This is a good win for us, a Mountain league win. We needed this and the team responded.”
Clearfield, which beat Bellefonte at home last Tuesday, 44-30, is 4-0 in Mountain League action while the Red Raiders slipped to 1-4.
The junior varsity game was won by Bellefonte, beating Clearfield by a score of 43-32. Ethan McGinnis led all Bison scorers with nine points.
Clearfield returns to the hardwood at the Purchase Line Christmas Tournament next Tuesday and Wednesday at Purchase Line High School. They will play in the first game, at 6 pm, against the Harmony Owls.
CLEARFIELD – 56
Evan Brown 10 2-3 27, David McKenzie 1 3-4 5, Tommy Hazel 0 2-2 2, Will Myers 3 3-6 10, Caleb Strouse 3 2-3 8, Ryan Lezzer 1 0-0 2, Ethan McGinnis 0 0-0 0, Johny Gates 0 0-0 0, Wyatt Porter 1 0-0 2, Taye Lynch 0 0-0 0, Jake Sorbera 0 0-0 0, Sammy Evans 0 0-0 0, TOTALS – 19 12-18 56
BELLEFONTE – 39
Hunter Knisley 2 5-8 9, Tyler Kreger 3 0-2 6, Kellen Moss 3 4-4 10, Brice Steiner 4 0-1 8, Caleb Rockey 0 0-0 0, Cade Fortney 3 0-0 6, Jaymee McClelland 0 0-2 0, TOTALS – 15 9-17 39
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
CLEARFIELD 15 7 21 13 56
BELLEFONTE 10 12 8 9 39
THREE-POINTERS: CLEARFIELD – Brown 5, Myers BELLEFONTE – NONE
OFFICIALS: Scott Johnson, Ron Williams, Andrew Calista
Bison Scoreboard:
Date Opponent Score Record
12/07 CURWENSVILLE 76 – 35 1 – 0
12/09 @ Central ppd. 1 – 0
12/11 HUNTINGDON 77 – 64 2 – 0
12/15 BELLEFONTE 44 – 30 3 – 0
12/16 ST. MARYS 68 – 59 4 – 0
12/18 @ Tyrone 59 – 50 5 – 0
12/21 @ Punxsutawney 48 – 66 5 – 1
12/23 @ Bellefonte 56 – 39 6 – 1
12/29&30 Purchase Line Christmas Tourney
01/05 BROOKVILLE
01/06 BALD EAGLE AREA
01/08 @ Penns Valley
01/12 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
01/15 CENTRAL
01/18 DUBOIS
01/20 @ Huntingdon
01/26 TYRONE
01/29 @ Bald Eage Area
02/01 @ Central
02/03 PENNS VALLEY
02/05 @ Philipsburg-Osceola
02/08 @ Curwensville