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ECC Boys Take Home First D9 Hoops Title Since 2011

By Chris Rossetti

ECC 2016 D9 ChampsCLARION, Pa. – The wait is over.

After not winning a District 9 title it what seems like an eternity but in reality was only four years, the Elk County Catholic boys’ basketball team is on top again after a 48-42 win over Coudersport in the championship game Saturday night at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.

Hear head coach Aaron Straub’s take on winning the championship.

ECC built an 11-point halftime lead, 27-16, and then held off a furious second-half rally by Coudersport that saw the Falcons close to within two, 33-31, by the end of the third quarter thanks in part to a pair of 3-pointers by freshman Owen Chambers and four points from senior Darren Keglovits.

But Coudy could never get over the hump, as every time the Falcons got close ECC answered back.

A quick 4-0 spurt at the start of the fourth quarter with baskets from Kyle Huff and Nate DaCanal expanded the Crusaders leads back to six, 37-31.

Coudersport answered with back-to-back baskets by Keglovits, who had 14 points and nine rebounds on 7 of 14 shooting, to get back within two, 37-35, with 5:41 left.

DaCanal then hit two free throws to push the lead back to four before Jared Green, who added nine points, 11 rebounds and five steals, made it a two-point game again with 4:03 left.

But DaCanal, who had a game-high 19 points to with six rebounds and four steals, answered again from the free-throw line going 3 of 4 to put the lead back to five, 42-37, with 2:45 to go.

Green, though, only a sophomore, hit a 3-pointer at the 1:29 mark to cut the lead back to two, 42-40.

Then, after a DaCanal turnover, Coudersport had a chance to tie the game when Keglovits was fouled with 1:08 left. But he missed the front end of the one-and-one, and ECC got the ball.

Gabe Kraus was then fouled with 35 seconds to play, but Kraus missed the front end of the one-and-one. Keglovits, however, walked on the rebound, and after a timeout Huff extended the lead to two possession with a layup off a screen on the inbounds play.

Huff, who ended with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds despite shooting just 4 of 12, then sealed the win with two free throws with 13 seconds left that put the lead back to six, 46-40.

The senior Huff talked about winning his first title at ECC.

Kraus, coming off a career-high 32 points in the semifinals, chipped in 13 points for ECC, while Chambers had 12 points while going 4 of 9 from 3-point range for Coudersport.

GAME NOTES – Both teams enter the PIAA playoffs … ECC will play fifth-place team out of the WPIAL, Eden Christian, while Coudersport will take on the third-place team out of District 6, Bishop Guilfoyle … ECC won despite shooting 35.6 percent (16 of 45) including just 10 of 30 in the first half … Coudersport shot 40.9 percent (18 of 44) including 11 of 20 after halftime. But the Falcons dug their own hole by going 7 of 24 (29.2 percent) in the opening 16 minutes … Coudy also turned the ball over 16 times leading to 20 ECC points … There was a huge discrepancy at the foul line with Coudy going 0 of 3 and ECC 13 of 16.

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 48, COUDERSPORT 42

Score by Quarters

Coudersport 9 7 15 11 – 42

Elk Co. Cath. 14 13 6 15 – 48

COUDERSPORT – 42

Aaron Wolfinger 2-6 0-0 4, Owen Chambers 4-9 0-2 12, David Rigas 1-2 0-0 3, Jared Green 4-12 0-0 9, Darren Keglovits 7-14 0-1 14, Kullen Crosby 0-0 0-0 0, Derek Keglovits 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-44 0-3 42.

ECC – 48

Benji Hoffman 0-4 0-0 0, Dan Stauffer 2-8 0-0 4, Gabe Kraus 4-10 2-3 13, Kyle Huff 4-12 2-3 10, Nate DaCanal 5-9 9-10 19, Brad Dippold 1-2 0-0 2, Jack Wolfe 0-0 0-0 0, Jared Braun 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-45 13-16 48.

THREE-POINTERS – Coudersport 6-19 (Wolfinger 0-2, Chambers 4-9, Rigas 1-2, Green 1-4, Da. Keglovits 0-2). ECC 3-11 (Kraus 3-8, Hoffman 0-2, DaCanal 0-1).