CLARION DEFEATS EAST STROUDSBURG 91-61

CLARION – For the second straight game Clarion University’s men’s basketball team showed why it was picked to win the PSAC-West this season getting its second consecutive 30-point win with a 91-61 victory over East Stroudsburg Saturday afternoon at Tippin Gym.

The Golden Eagles (6-4), who beat Shippensburg 72-42 Wednesday night, have won two games in a row for the first time this season.

"It has been a commitment to team defense," Clarion head coach Ron Righter said about his team’s past two games. "We have played four straight halves of strong team defense. They are the best defensive games we have played this year."

Clarion made sure East Stroudsburg was never in the game jumping out to a quick 18-7 lead 6:30 into the game thanks to seven points from Steve Serwatka and six points from Dale Thomas.

East Stroudsburg (3-9) answered the Clarion run with a 9-4 spurt of its own to cut Clarion’s lead to 22-16 on a jumper by Juwan Justice with 8:36 left in the first half.

The Warriors were still within eight points at 27-19 a minute and a half later, but Clarion went on a 15-6 run to take a 16-point lead at 41-25 on a layup by Stephen Nesmith with 36 seconds left before the half.

East Stroudsburg was able to cut the Clarion lead to 14 at halftime on a layup by John Glenn with 15 seconds left that cut the Golden Eagles lead to 41-27 at the intermission.

Clarion, though, used a 22-7 run at the start of the second half to put the game away while taking a 63-34 lead on a free-throw by David Shearer with 14 minutes left in the game.

East Stroudsburg was able to cut the lead down to 19 points at 63-44 thanks in large part to seven-point swing with 13:08 left to play. At the 13:08 mark Jon Kelley hit a layup. In jacking for position for a possible rebound, Clarion’s Terrell Scott was called for a technical foul for throwing his elbows. Justice then hit two free throws, and the Warriors got the ball back thanks to the technical. With the ball Wayne Bishop hit a three-pointer to cut Clarion’s lead to 63-44.

The Golden Eagles, though, quickly answered back going on a 21-9 run over the next nine minutes to take a 31-point lead at 84-53.

Six different Clarion players scored during the run led by seven points from Serwatka, five from Rollie Smith and four from Allen Stevens. With the game well in hand, both teams emptied their benches in the final four minutes of the contest.

Serwatka led Clarion with 24 points and seven rebounds, while Thomas had 18 points. Smith added 13 points and six assists.

Kelley and John Krimmel led East Stroudsburg with 12 points each, while the Golden Eagles held Justice, who was averaging over 20 points a game, to only 10 points. Shearer and Terrance Stokes were the key defensive players for Clarion against Justice. In fact Justice did not get a field goal when Shearer was on the floor.

Clarion is back in action Sunday when it hosts Kutztown at 3 p.m.