Junior High Boys Basketball B-Team In Lots Of Action Recently (02/11/17)

(By Coach Jason Craig)

On Tuesday, January 30th, the Junior High boys team played host to the Keystone Panthers. Both teams entered the game without a loss. Unfortunately, the Bobcats were unable to keep pace with the Panthers and suffered their first loss, 29-16.

The game got off to a very slow start as each team had trouble scoring. Christian Simko had 2 points in the quarter, but the Bobcats trailed 4-2. Cam Lapinto and Anthony Slike each managed to score for Clarion in the second and the score at the half was 11-6.

Keystone kept the scoring going, outscoring the Bobcats 9-2 in the third period and held a 20-8 lead heading into the final frame. Simko added the lone basket. Clarion was able to score a few more in the fourth, but still lost the quarter 9-8 and the game 29-16.

For Clarion, Simko lead the way with 6 points. Lapinto (4), Ezra Brooks (2), Slike (2), Aidan Quinn (1) and Luca Cherico (1) also scored for the Bobcats.

Wingard and Peters lead a very balanced Panther attack with 4 points each. Easton and Nellis each had three points. Thompson, Heeter, Blazosky, Keth, and Hurrelbrink all had two points for Keystone.

The loss drops the Clarion B-Team to 4-1 on the season.

Behind a big game from Christian Simko, the Clarion Jr. High B-Team was able to get back in the win column with a 26-13 win over A-C Valley, on Tuesday, February 7th.

Clarion jumped out to a 12-4 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Simko scored 6 of his game high 14 points in the opening frame. Aidan Quinn added a basket and 2 free throws while Ryan Alston chipped in with 2 points in the period.

The Bobcats only managed 4 points in the second quarter, but didn’t give up a single point to take a 16-4 lead into halftime. Anthony Slike and Simko each had a basket for Clarion. Simko did all the scoring for Clarion in the third with a basket and a pair of free throws as the teams tied the frame with 4 points each.

Chase Kriebel got the hot hand in the final frame with 4 points and Clarion also won the quarter 6-5. Simko added two more and the final was set at 26-13.

Scoring for the Bobcats were: Simko (14), Quinn (4), Kriebel (4), Alston (2) and Slike (2).

For the Falcons: Forsythe (6), McFall (3), Amsler (2) and Veroster (2)

The win moves the B-Team to 5-1 on the season.

On Thursday, February 9th, the Clarion Junior High B-Team went on the road to face the Bulldogs from Redbank Valley.

The game got off to a slow start for the Bobcats because our seventh graders had some trouble figuring out the Bulldogs 2-3 zone. We only managed a single basket from Chase Kriebel and were down 8-2 at the end of the quarter.

Redbank kept the zone going in the second period allowing only three Clarion points to take a 16-5 lead into halftime. Cam Lapinto made a jump shot and Christian Simko made one of two free throws for the Bobcats.

Clarion came out shooting in the third, outscoring the Bulldogs 8-5, but trailed 21-13 after three quarters. Simko got a few shots to drop, scoring four in the period, while Kriebel and Anthony Slike each made a basket.

The teams tied the fourth quarter with four points each, but Redbank would win the game 25-17. Kriebel and Ezra Brooks each scored for the Bobcats.

It took us a while to figure out the zone, but we eventually got some good looks at the basket. It was one of those days where nothing would drop for us. We will be back in action next week with three games on the schedule. We are home on Monday against Union, at Karns City on Wednesday and at Moniteau on Thursday.

Scorers for Clarion: Kriebel (6), Simko (5), Lapinto, Brooks, Slike (2)

Scorers for Redbank: Mangionati (6), Kozma (4), Cook (3), Kline, Mansfield, Adams, Shreckengost, Douglas (2), Shaffer, Barret (1)

The loss dropped the B-Team to 5 and 2 on the season.

(Thanks to Coach Craig for this article.)