CLARION, Pa. - Making their return to Tippin Gym after a two game road stint against two PSAC East powerhouses, the Clarion men's basketball team dropped a close matchup against another PSAC East opponent Shippensburg 70-61.

Now .500 on the young season, (4-4, 0-3 PSAC), the Golden Eagles will continue their tour around the East, hosting Lock Haven and Mansfield on December 18th and 19th. Tip-off is slated for 3 pm for both contests. 

The Raiders jumped out to a quick five point lead to start the ballgame, after hitting back to back shots. Kiyon Hardy knocked down a jumper after Carlos Carter forced a Connor Ferrell turnover.

The following Shippensburg possesion, after another Golden Eagle turnover, Jake Biss buried a three to put the Raiders up 5-0. 

Sure shooter Gerald Jarmon, responded with a jumper of his own putting Clarion on the scoreboard, but BIss answered with another three pointer pushing the lead to 8-2, forcing head coach Damian Pitts to take an early timeout. 

Ferrell made the first possession out of the timeout count, burying a three of his own to put Clarion back within striking distance. 

With the score 8-5 Clarion tied the ballgame  with just under 15 minutes left in the half after Jarmon found Lawrence Lemon in transition, knocking down the trey and tying the game. 

Trading punches back and forth the entire first half, neither team was able to build a lead larger than six points, while the lead changed four times a piece.

Clarion was able to build their largest lead of the half, which was just one point, at the 2:42 mark after guard Kaison Branch made a layup putting Clarion up 29-28. 

Shipp regained the lead just a few possessions later, taking the lead into the locker room at halftime 34-32. 

The Golden Eagles shot 52% from the floor in the first half and an even more impressive 80% from beyond the arc, while tallying a 67% from the charity stripe. 

Shippensburg started the second half much like they started the first half, going on a 6-0 run, forcing Pitts to take another early timeout ot regroup his troops. Regroup is exactly what the Golden Eagles did, scoring six consecutive points to pull back within just one basket. 

It started with a Jordan Agyemang layup off of an assist from Lemon. After a pair of free throws Agyemang found himself on the scoring end again, this time a huge put back dunk that brought the gym to their feet.

After a Ferrell dagger from long range, the blue and gold were just three points away from grabbing the lead for the first time in the second half. 

Three points is all the closer Clarion would get in the second half though as Shippensburg built their lead to as large as 14, before grabbing the victory by the final score of 70-61. 

Clarion threatened late in the game, cutting the game to single digits, but Carter slammed the door on a comeback chance with a big fastbreak score. 

Jarmon paced the way for Clarion scoring 17 points on 6 of 11 shooting, while Ferrell added 15 points and three rebounds. 

Stretch forward Lawrence Lemon added 10 points on the night, but shined on the boards, tallying seven rebounds to go with one assist in 32 minutes of action.