Sports

Clarion men’s basketball knocked out of playoffs

The Clarion men’s basketball team fell to Indiana University of Pennsylvania last Saturday, Feb. 19, at Waldo S. Tippin gymnasium.

The loss gave Clarion its seventh loss in the conference, and put it in a must-win situation for the remainder of the games.

The game started out evenly contested from both teams.

There was no point in the game when either team took a commanding lead.

Clarion senior guards Lloyd Harrison and Jamar Harrison did most of the scoring for their team in the first half.

Lloyd Harrison scored 19 of his game-high 27 points in the first half.

Lloyd Harrison kept the momentum going with a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Clarion a 37-33 lead at the half.

“I was feeling it. I thought we had a good flow going. I knew it had a chance of going in when I let it go,” Lloyd Harrison said.

Coming back on the court after the half, the Crimson Hawks jumped out on the Golden Eagles 54-48.

This run came after the Golden Eagles took a nine-point lead in the first minute of the half.

The Golden Eagles would find themselves climbing back into the game.

Clarion fought back and went on a run of its own to go back up by seven.

There was no consistency in their lineup with Lloyd Harrison and Jamar Harrison scoring in double digits.

All five starters for the Crimson Hawks reached double figures in the game.

This would be the deciding factor in this tough conference loss, ending with a final score of 87-80.

The Golden Eagles went most of the game without big man Quintus “Bud” Teer due to foul trouble.

Teer got a technical early in the game and another one in the second half after losing his composure.

The second technical would give the Crimson Hawks four attempts at the free throw line.

“I felt that we could have had a chance to win if I had kept my composure in close games like that. You want the players to dictate the outcome of the game, not the referees,” Teer
said.

The Golden Eagles will now have to win both of their last games for any hope to make it to the post-season.

They are now tied for fifth place in the conference with Edinboro University, and are still alive for the fourth and final play-off spot.

The Golden Eagles last shot of making the playoffs ended on Wednesday night, Feb. 23, when they lost to California University of Pennsylvania, 89-77.

Clarion jumped out to a 22-8 lead in the first half, on their way to a 37-32 halftime lead.

The Vulcans came out strong in the second half quickly tying it up.

CalU went on a 9-0 run to break the game open.

Sherry scored 18 points in his last home game.

Clarion will play their last game on Saturday, Feb. 26 at Gannon.