KNOX, Pa. – So much is at stake in the KSAC South finale when Keystone hosts Cranberry Saturday afternoon in a game moved from Friday, and EYT Media/D9Sports.com has all the action covered on Laurel Eye Clinic High School Basketball.
(Photo: Keystone’s Maddie Dunlap (left) and Cranberry’s Ava Ferringer (right) square off Friday night on Laurel Eye Clinic High School Basketball on exploreClarion.com and D9Sports.com. Photos by Tesa Boschert and Kim Constantino)
Tip-off is set for approximately 2:30 p.m. or 15 to 20 minutes after the junior varsity game. The Kerle Tire Pregame Show from Redbank Valley School will start at 2 p.m.
Mike Kalinowski and Dustin Kifer will have the call of the game with Chris Rossetti also handling the pre- and post-game interviews.
Cranberry (13-6 overall, 7-2 KSAC South) controls its own destiny in the race for the KSAC South championship, while there might be a narrow path to the title for Keystone (13-7, 6-3).
This much is known, if Cranberry beats Keystone Saturday and North Clarion Wednesday, the Berries win the KSAC South. A loss to either Keystone or North Clarion coupled with a Redbank Valley win at Moniteau Wednesday gives the title to the Lady Bulldogs. If Keystone beats Cranberry Saturday and Moniteau also beats Redbank Valley, then chaos erupts that could ultimately hinge on games happening in District 10 next week.
Seeding in the District 9 Class 2A playoffs is also at stake in the contest with Cranberry holding a 1/2 game lead currently right now on Keystone in the seeding race, although the way the District 9 Class 2A field is shaping up this year any of the eight teams likely to enter could win the title from any spot in the bracket.
Cranberry, winners of three in a row and nine of 11, beat Keystone, 38-25, Jan. 3 at Cranberry. That win really started a season turnaround for the Berries, who were just 4-4 at the time. Cranberry beat Clarion, 50-38, Tuesday.
Keystone has won eight of its past 11 but is coming off a 50-41 loss on the road at Redbank Valley Tuesday that hampered the Lady Panthers’ chances of winning the KSAC South.
Cranberry is led by Ava Ferringer’s 14.6 ppg while Kaia Dean adds 8.6 ppg. Kaylie Bruce (6.0 ppg, Megan Hadden (5.6 ppg) and Maddie Cornelius (5.2 ppg) also play roles on offense. Cornelius had a team-best 11 points with Dean adding 10 and Hadden eight in the first meeting with Keystone. Ferringer was held to a season-low four points in the win.
Keystone is paced by Emily Lauer’s 15.0 ppg while Jozee Weaver adds 8.1 ppg, Natalie Bowser 6.9 ppg and Maddie Dunlap 5.9 ppg. Lauer had 10 points in the loss to Cranberry with Danae Hurrelbrink scoring seven. The 25 points vs. the Berries was a season low for the Lady Panthers.
The following local sponsors have signed on to make this year’s Laurel Eye Clinic Games of the Week possible all season long:
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