KARNS CITY, Pa. (EYT/D9) — The energy was there in the first half.
It continued in the second half for the Karns City boys basketball team — and it eventually paid big dividends.
After trailing Clarion-Limestone 31-27 at the break, the Gremlins dominated the Lions over the final two quarters, holding C-L to just 15 points on the way to a 64-46 home win on Thursday night.
(Karns City sophomore Shane Peters scored a team-high 19 points in the Gremlins’ win/photo by Holly Mead)
The loss snapped the Lions’ 17-game winning streak.
“The kids executed our game plan pretty well,” said Karns City coach Zach Kepple. “We played tough defense all night and we were able to handle the pressure that they threw at us and they pressure a lot. That was really what was the difference.”
So was getting senior forward Micah Rupp back on the floor.
Rupp missed most of the second quarter in foul trouble.
He returned in the second half and was his usual game-altering self. He scored nine points, but also had six rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals.
Karns City (18-3) was able to stay close to Clarion-Limestone (19-2) without one of its best defenders and all-around players in the game.
“I don’t think he played a whole lot in the second quarter, maybe a minute,” Kepple said. “We had some guys play some really good minutes and play solid defense so we could only be down by four. That was huge. It was just an overall great team win.”
Shane Peters continued to shine off the bench.
The 6-foot-5 sophomore scored a team-high 19 points.
“He had 20 just the other night,” Kepple said. “He’s doing a great job for is. He’s cleaning up the glass on the offensive end and gets a lot of put-backs. He always knows when to cut to the block and our guards are doing a good job finding him. He’s a big piece for us. He’s been one the whole season, but especially the last few games.”
Karns City also had some scoring balance against Clarion-Limestone.
Taite Beighley and Jacob Callihan each scored 13 and Hobie Bartoe added 10.
Bartoe was also tasked in the second half with guarding Clarion-Limestone leading scorer Jordan Hesdon and held the Lions’ senior star to just four points over the final two quarters.
Hesdon led C-L with 21 points.
“I thought Hobie did a great job and I think Taite defended him well in the first half, (Hesdon) just made some tough shots — he gets into the paint and he’s a great finisher,” Kepple said. “Hobie did a great job just limiting his touches and in the end that kept him from scoring.”
Karns City outscored C-L 17-7 in the third quarter to take the lead for good, then put the game away with a 20-8 edge in the fourth.
The Gremlins were also able to limit the other Clarion-Limestone scoring threats, holding Jack Callen to 12, Alex Painter to seven and Rylie Klingensmith to just three.
Jase Ferguson is still sidelines for C-L with an elbow injury.
“That’s definitely a really good basketball team,” Kepple said. “We’ve just been playing really well the last few games and I hope that continues for us. Kids come to practice every day ready to go. We had energy the whole game and the intensity was there. You have to give all the credit to the kids for that effort.”
