HYDE — Defending the home hardwood has been a challenge to start the season for the Clearfield Lady Bison. The first two home games in the Bison Gymnasium have seen the home squad lose by a combined 49 points, while struggling to maintain control of the basketball. With Mountain League play set to begin for Clearfield on Tuesday night, head coach Mia Helsel and her staff felt they were ready to go as they welcomed in their rival Lady Mounties from Philipsburg-Osceola.
Ready to go was beyond what Clearfield was on this night. A fast start in the opening quarter not only put the game away, but the team looked like they did when they started the year winning two of their first three contests. At night’s end, the Lady Bison put on a clinic as they would cruise pas P-O in big fashion, 58-15.
Clearfield was in control from the opening tip, as P-O could not get out of their own way.
All five starters for the Lady Bison would account for scoring in the first quarter, as the home squad would put up the first 19 points of the game, while shutting out P-O on the opposite end of the court. At the end of one, P-O was looking up at a 20-3 deficit that was practically insurmountable from that moment. Clearfield continued to play their style of offense, and defense, in the second quarter as all five starters once again accounted for points. Whether in the paint, hitting jump shots, or even from deep range, Clearfield was scoring at will.
Four Clearfield players went into double digits as Hannah Glunt, Cayleigh Walker, and Riley Ryen all put up 13 points. Mia Helsel was just behind, accounting for another 12 points on the night. Of the eight players that saw minutes, five of them scored for the Lady Bison.
All was not perfect, as near the end of the second and for an early part of the third, P-O went on a little bit of a run, but ball handling and traveling halted any opportunities on the night.
Late in the third, a layup from Glunt put the gap at 44-13, putting the running clock in effect for the remainder of the game.
Even so, Clearfield would continue to play their game, not taking any chances with deep shots from behind the arc, and instead passing inward to try for the easier layup or jump shot. Clearfield outscored the Lady Mounties 24-2 in the final 12 minutes of the game, as the Mercy Rule clock made for a quick finish.
For P-O, only three players accounted for their point total, with Regan Thorp leading her team with nine points.
Clearfield (3-3) gets a long break to prepare for their next contest. It is a unique set of circumstances on the schedule, as the Lady Bison will hit the road this Saturday to face off with Hollidaysburg. Junior varsity will tip at approximately 4 p.m. with the varsity contest to follow.
SCORE BY QUARTER
Philipsburg-Osceola 3 6 4 2 – 15
Clearfield 20 14 16 8 – 58
Philipsburg-Osceola – 13
Lily Warlow 0 0-0 0, Maddy Malinich 0 0-0 0, Camden Potter 1 0-0 2, Khendyl Sharrer 2 0-0 4, Regan Thorp 4 1-2 9, Bella Minarchick 0 0-0 0, Haylee Wood 0 0-0 0, Olivia Gallaher 0 0-0 0, Emily Gustkey 0 0-0 0, Kaycie Hughes 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 7 1-2 15.
Clearfield – 58
Hannah Glunt 6 1-2 13, Alayna Winters 1 2-4 5, Cayleigh Walker 6 1-1 13, Riley Ryen 4 2-2 13, Mia Helsel 5 1-2 12, Arika Jones 0 0-0 0, Myleigh Hudson 0 0-0 0, Ella Evilsizor 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 22 7-11 58.