KEYSTONE 46, NORTH CLARION 41

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Feb. 14, 2009 - KSAC Boys' Title Game

CLARION – Keystone overcame a one-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat North Clarion for the second time in four days to claim its second KSAC Boys’ Title Game victory in three years with a 46-41 win Saturday afternoon at Clarion High School.

“There have been a number of games where we have been behind or lost the lead in the fourth quarter and came back to win,” Keystone head coach Greg Heath said. “Our guys keep their composure and believe they are going to win the game, which probably helped us out there today.”

Keystone’s win capped a perfect KSAC campaign for the Panthers (21-2), who went 17-0 in KSAC-South play before winning Saturday.

“I think the players are pretty pumped up,” Heath said. “I just told them they did something that happens very rarely and that’s go through the conference undefeated. It’s quite an accomplishment. We have had other really good teams that won conference titles that didn’t do it undefeated.”

The win, coming on the heels of Keystone’s 62-47 victory over North Clarion (19-4) Wednesday, could have had the Panthers crying foul over the District 9 seedings which came out Wednesday afternoon and had North Clarion seeded first and Keystone second (the seeding are based on winning percentage through Tuesday night). But Heath said it didn’t matter at all to him where his team was seeded.

“It doesn’t matter what seed you are,” Heath said. “When you get into the playoffs, you have to win. Whichever team wins, wins the district title.”

Keystone, which led 28-27 going to the fourth quarter, found itself down 29-28 13 seconds into the quarter following a Jeremy Schmader basket for North Clarion. But Ben Black gave the Panthers the lead back for good 11 seconds later with a hoop.

North Clarion, though, still trailed by one, 33-32, with 5:21 to play before Keystone took control of the game with a 10-4 run including six points from Dan Reed.

The fact Reed was in the middle of the game-deciding run was fitting considering the junior was also the reason Keystone was able to overcome an 18-11 second-quarter deficit to take a 21-20 halftime lead. Reed had six straight points and eight of 10 while assisting on the other two during a 10-2 run that ended the half. He finished the game with a team-high 16 points to go with six rebounds.  

“He was terrific today,” Heath said. “But I’m not surprised. He has been stepping up consistently in the second half of the season and has become one of our top players.”

Keystone led 10-7 at the end of the first quarter before North Clarion used an 11-1 run at the beginning of the second to take the 18-11 lead. Jeremy Schmader, who scored a game-high 23 points, led the charge with six points, and the Wolves scored the first seven points of the run off Keystone turnovers.

“We are use to coming from behind in the first half,” Heath said. “In half our games, we have dug ourselves a hole. We seem to be more comfortable that way. It seems to be our mode of operation.”

After Keystone rallied to take the halftime lead, Schmader single-handily kept North Clarion in the game in the third quarter scoring six of the Wolves seven points before putting them up by one with his basket early in the fourth quarter.

“We put Danny (Reed) on him,” Heath said. “But he’s going to get his points. He’s that good. He’s a basketball player. He’s smart, and he knows how to score.”

Black added 11 points and nine rebounds for Keystone, while Bryan Burkhardt chipped in seven points and six rebounds for North Clarion.

Both teams now await opponents in the District 9 playoffs Friday. Keystone will face the winner of the Union at Port Allegany winner, while North Clarion takes on the winner of the Oswayo Valley at Clarion-Limestone contest.