Jan. 10, 2010

Box Score

CLARION - Clarion hit 10 straight free throws in the final 1:17 to hold off a Bloomsburg comeback attempt and get a 64-58 win over the visiting Huskies Sunday afternoon at Tippin Gym.

Clarion (8-5), which snapped a three-game slide with the win, had watched Bloomsburg (6-6) cut an 11-point deficit, 50-39, to one, 54-53, with 3:41 to play. But Shameel Carty and Lloyd Harrison each went 4 of 4 and Mike Sherry was 2 of 2 from the line in the clutch to hold off the Huskies charge.

Three Golden Eagles reached double figures led by Paul McQueen's 15 points on 7 of 13 shooting. McQueen added five rebounds and three steals. Lloyd Harrison chipped in 14 points while going 4 of 5 from the floor and 6 of 6 from the line. He also had three assists, two rebounds and a steal. Sherry added 13 points off the bench including going 3 of 6 from 3-point range. He also had five assists, seven steals and three rebounds. The seven thefts were a season high for the junior and one off his career high of eight set against Shippensburg in 2008, while the five helpers tied a season high. Carty added nine points and three rebounds off the bench as well.

Jesse Betar led three Bloomsburg players in double digits with 15 points, while Ruben Britt had 12 and Larry Webster 11. Betar added six rebounds, four assists and two steals with Britt contributing a game-high nine rebounds and Webster seven boards and four blocked shots.

Clarion, which led 27-25 at halftime, used a 13-2 run to take a 13-point lead, 46-33, with 11:33 left on a Carty free throw. The Golden Eagles then maintained lead between nine and 11 points that was capped by a Sherry layup with 8:12 to play that made it 50-39.

But Bloomsburg went on a 14-4 run over the next 3:26 to close to within one on a Webster layup with 3:41 to play. But the Huskies weren't able to get over the top thanks to the strong free-throw shooting by Clarion.

Clarion returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when it travels to IUP for its PSAC-West opener. That game can be heard locally on WCUC, 91.7 FM and on the internet at www.redzonemedia.com, which can also be access through www.clariongoldeneagles.com.

NOTES - Clarion's halftime lead was its first since Dec. 30 when it lead 38-20 over Waynesburg. The Golden Eagles ran their record to 8-0 when leading at the half. Clarion is 0-1 when tied at the break and 0-4 when trailing at halftime ... McQueen's 15-point game was his eighth double-digit game of the year, and his 53.8 percent shooting percentage marked the seventh time this year he has shot better than 50 percent when taking at least eight shots ... Clarion forced 24 turnovers, the seventh time this year the Golden Eagles have forced an opponent to turn the ball over at least 20 times but the first time since Waynesburg had Dec. 30 ... Clarion also had 17 steals in the game, the seventh it has had 15 or more swipes in a game this year. Last season, Clarion had 15 or more steals once. In fact, the seven games of 15 or more steals is already the most for the Golden Eagles since 1998 when Clarion also had seven games of 15 or more steals. The most games of 15 or more steals since 1981 is nine in 1997.