Nov. 16, 2007

Box Score

JOHNSTOWN - Despite having four players scoring in double figures, Clarion fell to West Liberty 83-77 in the season opener Friday night at the Pitt-Johnstown-Cummings Trophies & Engraving Classic.

Clarion trailed by two points - 76-74 - following a 3-pointer by Mike Sherry with just under a minute to play but West Liberty scored the next five points to seal the win.

Josh Yanke led Clarion with 17 points, 10 rebounds, while Lamar Richburg added 17 points and six boards off the bench. Damon Gross added 15 points and nine boards for the Golden Eagles, while Mike Sherry had 11 points and Demetrius Graham 10 points.

Chris Banal led all scorers with 31 points and seven rebounds for West Liberty (1-0), while Ben Howlett added 19 points.

Clarion was without the services of All PSAC-West forward Ricky Henderson who is out due to illness. The difference in the game came at the free-throw line where Clarion was 6 of 15 and West Liberty was 16 of 22.

Clarion returns to action tomorrow against host Pitt-Johnstown at 7:30 p.m.