Jan. 3, 2009
Box Score
CLARION - Mike Sherry's two free throws with 1:04 left combined with a great defensive effort in the closing seconds lifted Clarion to a 75-74 win over visiting East Stroudsburg in a PSAC men's basketball crossover game Saturday afternoon at Tippin Gym.
Sherry's free throws were the game's final points, and the Golden Eagle defense limited East Stroudsburg to a contested jumper by Mike DeMarco that was too strong after the Warriors got the ball back with 18 seconds to play.
Clarion (7-2) overcame deficits of 13 points in the first half and 11 points in the second half to take a 9-point lead, 63-54, midway through the second half. But East Stroudsburg (6-4) rallied to go up three on an Andy Heimbach trey with 1:52 left. The Golden Eagles had the answer one last time getting to within one on a jumper by Paul McQueen with 1:26 to go that was set up by a great pass by Ron Hollis. Sherry then was fouled by Heimbach with 1:04 left and drained by shots.
The Golden Eagles bench played a major role in the win scoring 37 of Clarion's 75 points, and Clarion had five players in double figures. McQueen and Shameel Carty each had 14 to lead the way off the bench, while Hollis had 12 points and five assists. Sherry and Josh Yanke each added 11 points.
That helped offset a monster game from East Stroudsburg's Chris Bach, who poured in a game-high 30 points to go with nine rebounds. But the Warriors had only one other player in double figures, that being DeMarco with 10 points. Dawud Lyons added nine.
Clarion trailed 25-12 with 11:17 left in the first half but was able to get within nine, 45-36, when Sherry hit an off-balance, falling away, over-his-shoulder 3-pointer with four seconds left in the half.
That seemed to spark Clarion, who went on a 27-7 run after East Stroudsburg retook an 11-point lead on the first basket of the second half.
Clarion returns to action Sunday when it hosts Kutztown at 3 p.m.
NOTES - Clarion is off to its best start since going 10-2 in 2003-04, and the Golden Eagles are now 5-1 on their season-long seven-game homestand that ends Sunday with Kutztown.
