Junior High Boys Basketball A-Team Wins Two, Now 10-1 On Season (02/25/14)
All eyes on Jacob Selker’s (44) shot going through the net
The Bobcats Junior High Boys Basketball A-Team won their ninth and tenth games of the season, with a victory at Moniteau, on Friday and a home win against Cranberry, on Monday. Coach Jesse Quinn shares summaries of the two contests. We begin with the most recent.
Clarion 37 – Cranberry 17 / Monday February 24th
This afternoon saw the Clarion Junior High Boys A-Team record their 10th win of the season. They defeated the Berries 34-17. The boys used a big second quarter, where they erupted for 16 points and held their opponent to just 2 points. That breakout 2nd quarter gave the Bobcats a 25-9 halftime lead.
The second half started just as the 2nd quarter unfolded with the defense stepping up huge and holding the Berries to just 2 points. But what was the most impressive was that the only points were scored just as time expired in the quarter. So for just about the entire quarter the boys held them scoreless. Jacob Selker and Zach Bauer did all the scoring for us. Jacob scored 4 and Zach added 3 points.
Spencer Miller and Christian Smith added 10 points apiece. Nick Cherico and Jimmy Smathers had 4 points (Nick) and 2 points (Jip). Cameron Craig dropped in 1 point in the contest.
Clarion Junior High Cheerleaders lead the Bobcat fans
At the conclusion of this game, I only had one thing to tell the boys. I said that it was my pleasure to coach them. I asked them if they knew ‘why’ I said such a thing. They were quiet. So I then said because again, winning the game was not in question and it was obvious to all who watched that our focus was to spread the ball around. Christian, Cam, Spencer could have all scored at will, along with Nick, Jimmy, Cam H., and Zach. I told them it takes a mature young man to be as competitive as they are, but also to understand and be at ease with giving some of the other boys a chance at showing what they can do.
Clarion 47 – Moniteau 22 / Friday, February 21st
On Friday, February 21st, the Clarion Area Jr High Boys A-Team traveled to Moniteau to take on the Warriors. The Boys upped their record to 9-1 on the season with a 47-22 victory.
The A Team exploded in the first quarter scoring 17 points and holding the Warriors to just 4. The second quarter was much the same with the Bobcats scoring 10 more points to take a 27-14 halftime lead.
The third and fourth quarters saw the Bobcats score twenty points, all the while keeping Moniteau to only 4, in each quarter.
Christian Smith and Cameron Craig paced the team with 13 and 12 points respectively. There were four boys who scored 4 points apiece. Spencer Miller, Jimmy Smathers, Zach Bauer, and Jacob Selker each were able to put in the same amount. Three other Bobcats scored 2 points each for us. Cam Hearst, Nick Cherico, and Victor Stahlman all found the bottom of the net. For Victor, it was his first points of the season! Boy was he excited! Truly, I don’t know who was more excited, Victor or the guys on the bench. When he scored, he was all smiles, but the bench was going nuts with High Fives all around! Congratulations Victor! You have worked very hard all year for that bucket!
I am very proud of our boys! Not only for their effort, but their attitudes! They know full well that winning the game was not in question. Their focus switched to getting the other boys on the team registered in the score book with points. I consider myself very lucky to have the opportunity to work with this group of young men.
(Thanks to Coach Quinn for the summaries.)
The Bobcats will host Redbank Valley, on Wednesday, February 26th.