CLARION, Pa. --- The Golden Eagle men's basketball got off to a red-hot offensive start but clamped down on defense when it mattered most, as Clarion held on for a 95-85 victory over California (Pa.) in Tippin Gymnasium on Wednesday night. The win was the first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victory of the season for the Golden Eagles.
 
Clarion seemingly couldn't miss from three-point range in the first half, going 12-of-21 from the land of plenty to build up a 21-point lead at the break. Their advantage reached as high as 25 points before the Vulcans found life in the second half, with the latter eventually pulling to within six points with under a minute remaining.
 
The Golden Eagles closed things out with a sharp performance at the free throw line, though, going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe to keep the Vulcans at arm's length. Steve Kelly went 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the last minute to help lock up the win.
 
Gerald Jarmon and Cam Kearney went off for big offensive nights, with Jarmon scoring a game-high 29 points, 26 of which coming in the first half. His numbers were buoyed by a 7-of-10 performance from three-point range. Kearney primarily turned things on in the second half, finishing with a season-high 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting while also posting eight rebounds. Kelly scored 14 points to go with eight boards, four assists and three steals, while Fray Nguimbi came off the bench for 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
 
The offensive barrage in the first half brought the crowd to their feet and the Golden Eagles to an emotional peak, as they opened up an 8-2 lead on two three-pointers by Jarmon. Nguimbi scored on a putback seven minutes into the game to make it 19-10, and the lead broke double-digits for the first time after Nguimbi converted a pass from Mekhi Reynolds into a bucket at 22-12.
 
That was part of a dominant 14-2 run for the Golden Eagles that was punctuated by back-to-back three-pointers from Reynolds and Jarmon, making it 33-14. Clarion continued to pile on before the end of the half, making it 46-24 with under two minutes remaining. Jarmon added one more trey before the break, and Clarion held a 49-28 lead heading into the locker room.
 
The lead ballooned to 25 points early in the second half after Justice Easter swiped the ball from Cam Polak at the 16:17 mark, setting up a bucket for Nguimbi, but that would be the high water mark of the night. It was even a 21-point game with 5:36 to play, but California chipped away slowly and steadily, going on a 13-2 run of their own to make it 80-70. Polak made a pair of free throws with 2:19 remaining and then drained a three after KJ McClurg forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, put the Vulcans within 81-75. The lead hovered around three possessions the rest of the way as the Golden Eagles iced the game at the free throw line.
 
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