CLARION, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Coaches say the first three to five minutes after halftime are the most important in a close game.
A 28-11 scoring blitz in the third quarter helped the Redbank Valley boys basketball team grab a comfortable lead on the way to a 65-41 victory over Clarion-Limestone in the District 9 Class 2A semifinals on Tuesday evening at Tippin Gym.
Redbank held a slim 25-21 lead at halftime. Jack Callen scored the first points of the third quarter before the Bulldogs went on a 16-0 run to take an 18-point, 41-23 lead. Owen Clouse scored nine points during the run — on all three of his 3-pointers of the game.
(Pictured above, Redbank Valley’s Owen Clouse was named the Hager Paving Incorporated Player of the Game)
“Our shots weren’t falling early on,” said Redbank Valley head coach Emmanuel Marshall. “We were getting fouls called and were able to get to the foul line. We just wanted to keep playing our game and sharing the basketball.”
Redbank led 53-32 after three quarters. The Bulldogs finished the game with a 12-9 scoring edge in the fourth to set the final score.
Redbank Valley placed four players in double figures with Owen Clouse scoring 19 points, while Mason Clouse added 15. Each also reached double figures in rebounds for a double-double. Kieran Fricko and Braylon Wagner each scored 11 points.
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
“We play a physical game of basketball and sometimes we play in that grey area,” said C-L head coach Pat Craig. “We got two starters in foul trouble really early, which put us back a bit.”
Points were at a premium in the opening quarter as neither team shot the ball well.
C-L actually led 11-6 after one quarter.
C-L was up by seven points at 15-8 following a 3-pointer by Kohen Kemmer. With the Lions leading 17-12, the Bulldogs turned up their defensive pressure and closed the quarter on a 13-4 run to take the 25-21 halftime lead.
“With the foul trouble we had, I was happy with how some of our bench players came in and gave us some valuable minutes, which kept the game at four points by halftime,” said Craig.
Jack Craig led the Lions with nine points, five rebounds and five assists. Jesse Siwiecki added eight points off the bench, while Jase Ferguson scored seven points.
Redbank Valley will face Karns City in the District 9 championship game on Saturday evening, also at Tippin Gym, while C-L will travel to Sheffield to play Otto-Eldred in a consolation game for the third-place finisher out of District 9.
“We got a KSAC championship banner to hand in the gym and now we want a District 9 banner to go with it,” said Marshall. “I know we have the team that is very capable of going out and getting that accomplished if they play our brand of basketball.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
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