COMMODORE — A field goal by Marrek Paola with just six seconds on the clock enabled once-beaten Ligonier Valley to slip past the Clearfield Area High School boys basketball team 80-78 in a fast-paced opener to the Purchase Line Lions Club Holiday Tournament Thursday evening.
The outside-inside combination of Michael Marinchak and Paola accounted for 51 points to lead the Rams to their eighth win.
Marinchak, a 5-10 junior guard, poured in 28 points and Paola, a 6-5 senior center/power forward tallied 23 as the Rams topped 75 points for the seventh time, with Matthew Marinchak chipping in 11 more.
Karson Rumsky was high for the Bison with 21 points, most of them coming from behind the arc on five three-pointers.
Joining him in double figures were Cade Walker with 16 points, Andrew Lopez with 13 and Keagan Hess with 12.
Taye Lynch topped the balanced rebounding effort with six boards and had three steals, Rumsky also had three steals, while Walker registered five assists, one more than Lopez.
Michael Marinchak and Paolo almost matched Clearfield’s output in the first quarter with 10 and eight points, respectively, as the Rams grabbed a 26-19 advantage that the Bison shaved to 39-36 by halftime.
Rumsky’s 11 points kept the Bison in the game in the third period, which ended with Ligonier Valley in front 58-54.
The backcourt duo of Lopez and Hess teamed up for 13 points to key Clearfield’s surge to the 78-78 tie before Paola became the hero for Ligonier Valley.
The Bison (4-3) will make the same trip Friday for the 6 p.m. consolation game against Harmony (1-8), which lost 70-49 to Purchase Line in the nightcap.
Purchase Line (8-1) will test Ligonier Valley in the championship game.
CLEARFIELD — 78
Taye Lynch 4 0-0 9, Cade Walker 7 2-2 16, Karson Rumsky 8 2-3 21, Keagan Hess 5 1-2 12, Andrew Lopez 6 1-6 13, Harrison Peacock 0 0-0 0, Matt Pallo 2 0-2 5. TOTALS: 32 6-15 78.
LIGONIER VALLEY — 80
Michael Marinchak 10 6-8 28, Marrek Paola 11 1-2 23, Jaxon Ludwig 1 0-2 3, Matthew Marinchak 4 1-2 11, Isaac Neidbalson 2 2-2 6, Rylee Dyson 2 0-0 5, Pedro Herrera 2 0-0 4. TOTALS: 32 10-16 80.
Three-Point Field Goals — Clearfield 8 (Lynch 1, Rumsky 5, Hess 1, Pallo 1); Ligonier Valley 6 (Mi. Marinchak 2, Ludwig 1, Ma. Marinchak 2, Dyson 1).
Score by Quarters
Clearfield         19 17 18 24 – 78
Ligonier Valley 26 13 19 22 – 80
Bison Scoreboard:
Date Opponent Score Record
12/07 CURWENSVILLE 77 – 32 1 – 0
12/10 WEST BRANCH 57 – 33 2 – 0
12/12 BALD EAGLE AREA 73 – 48 3 – 0
12/14 HUNTINGDON 53 – 63 3 -1
12/17 @ Philipsburg-Osceola 64 – 47 4 – 1
12/21 TYRONE 42 – 50 4 – 2
12/27 @ Purchase Line Tourney
12/27 vs. Ligonier Valley 78 – 80 4 – 3
12/28 vs. Harmony
01/04 @ Brookville
01/07 PUNXSUTAWNEY
01/09 @ Penns Valley
01/11 CENTRAL
01/15 @ Bellefonte
01/18 @ Bald Eage Area
01/21 @ DuBois
01/23 @ Huntingdon
01/25 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
01/29 @ Tyrone
02/01 PENNS VALLEY
02/06 @ Central
02/08 BELLEFONTE
02/13 @ Curwensville
