Junior High Boys Basketball B-Team Downs Cranberry (02/23/16)

(By Coach Jason Craig)

The Jr. High B-Team traveled to Cranberry (on Monday, February 23rd), with a perfect 10 – 0 record to battle the Berries. Lead by the outstanding play of Ezra Brooks, the team came away with a 29 – 13 win.

(Photos by Christie Datko) Don Cunningham looks to get his hands on the ball!

The game got off to slow start with the Bobcats winning the quarter 5 – 3. Tyler Schmader made 2 free throws and Cal German drained a shot from beyond the arc.

We went to a full court man-to-man to pick the pace up a little and it paid off. Clarion outscored Cranberry 16 – 2 in the second quarter to go to the half winning 21 – 5. Ben Murtha and Mitch Geiger were hot from long range, each draining a 3-pointer. Tyler Schmader, Hunter Craddock, Beau Verdill and Geiger also had baskets in the quarter. The biggest basket came from the hands of Anthony Slike who banked in a nice jump shot for the Bobcats.

Hunter Craddock get a fast break as Ben Murtha hustles to be there for a rebound.

Cranberry would win the third quarter 6 – 4. Schmader and Donnie Cunningham had the lone baskets Clarion. The Bobcats would win the final quarter 4 – 2 and set the score at 29 – 13.

The biggest basket of the game came in the 4th quarter. Ezra Brooks brought the crowd to their feet as he took a pass at the foul line and calmly drained the 15 foot jumper. He is one of the most popular players on the team and was mobbed by our players at half court (even though the game was still going on).

I applaud the sportsmanship that the Cranberry program and the officials displayed at that moment. Even the Cranberry cheerleaders showered Ezra with hugs and congratulations after the game. What an awesome moment for Ezra and his teammates. But Ezra wasn’t done yet. He went on the defense and stole a pass and then stripped the ball from another player to help keep the Berries to 2 points in the quarter.

Clarion scorers were Schmader (6), Geiger and German (5), Murtha (3), Brooks, Craddock, Verdill, Cunningham and Slike (2).

J. Stahlman was the only scorer for Cranberry with a game high 13 points.

The B-Team will try to keep their undefeated season going as they travel to North Clarion on Thursday.

(Thanks to Coach Craig for this article and to Christie Datko for this article . Congratulations to Ezra and all the Bobcats!!!!)