Matching up with three teams for the week, the Clifton-Clyde boys basketball team went 2-1 in an action-packed week with a pair of thrillers.
Against the number five-ranked Thunder Ridge, the Panthers lost 50-43.
The game opened on a strong offensive note, with both teams making their first shot attempts of the game. An Ethan Sacco three-pointer and a Landon Begnoche layup put the Eagles up 7-4 early in the first. Thunder Ridge retook the lead and both teams fought for the lead, with the Eagles closing the first quarter on an 8-2 run to take a 15-12 lead.
The second quarter became a defensive battle as the fight for the lead continued. Thunder Ridge retook the lead with a free throw halfway through the quarter to make it 19-18. A Begnoche layup gave Clifton-Clyde the 20-19 lead before a Longhorn three snatched it back. A Ryan LeClair three with 31 seconds left gave the Eagles the 23-22 lead entering halftime.
Neither side could properly break away in the third quarter. The Eagles took a 29-24 lead on a Begnoche layup, but three straight buckets for Thunder Ridge gave them a 31-29 lead with 3:17 remaining. A Longhorn putback as time expired gave them a 35-31 lead entering the fourth quarter.
A putback for the Longhorns gave them a six-point lead, before a Luke Nobert three brought it back to down to three. Another Begnoche layup made it a one point game, but Thunder Ridge was able to keep the Eagles just out of reach from taking the lead. A Gage LeClair three made it a 45-43 game with 1:49 remaining, but the Longhorns closed the game with five straight points to take the game 50-43.
Begnoche led in scoring with 12 points, and added seven rebounds and seven steals.
Sacco had 11 points, two rebounds and two steals.
Nobert and Emitt Tiemeyer each had seven points and combined for six rebounds and three steals.
Against Frankfort, the Panthers won 54-50 in overtime.
The Wildcats held the momentum early, leading 7-3 before a Gage LeClair three made it 7-6. Gage made a layup to put the eagles up 8-7, but the Wildcats were able to bounce back and closed the quarter with an 8-3 spurt and led 15-11 to end the first.
Frankfort continued to put pressure on the Eagles, pushing the lead to eight as it took the Eagles until 3:20 remaining for Ryan LeClair to finally get the Eagles on the board. The Wildcats led 22-13 with 2:41 remaining and closed the quarter matching Clifton-Clyde 7-7 down the stretch to lead 28-20 at halftime.
The third quarter was a defensive battle, with only 16 total points scored, eight by each team. The Eagles scored six straight points to open the quarter which made it 28-26 Frankfort, before the WIldcats went on a 6-0 run of their own. Frankfort made a pair of free throws, and a pair of Ethan Sacco free throws made it a 36-28 game entering the fourth quarter.
Clifton-Clyde opened the fourth quarter with six straight points to get the lead down to two, but Frankfort got the lead back up to seven with three minutes to go. Seven straight Eagle points tied the game at 41-all with under 90 seconds to go. Frankfort made two free throws to take the lead but Begnoche tied the game with 35 seconds left, and neither team got a shot off as the game went into overtime.
After some back and forth to start overtime, Sacco made a three with 1:26 remaining to give the Eagles a 51-46 lead. Trying to avoid fouling, the Wildcats full-court trap led to Gage LeClair putting the game away with a layup to put the Eagles up eight. Running out of time, the Wildcats scored two baskets as the Eagles won the thriller 54-50.
Gage LeClair led in scoring with 16 points.
Sacco had 10 points, two rebounds and a steal.
Emitt Tiemeyer had 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and a block.
Against Valley Heights, the Eagles won 68-28.
Clifton-Clyde came out of the gates swinging, scoring nine straight points, largely due to second-chance points and attacking the rim, and the full-court press was putting the Mustangs into disarray. Back-to-back Mustang threes put them right back into the thick of it, but a 13-3 explosion in the last five minutes put the Eagles up 27-11 to end the quarter.
The Eagle defense continued to make things difficult for the Mustangs, limiting them to only six points in the second quarter, while the Eagles’ offense was running smoothly, getting good looks and putting forth effort if not always converting to points. The Eagles outscored the Mustangs 14-6, to lead 41-17 at halftime.
Clifton-Clyde continued their strong performance in the second half, with a 7-4 opening and getting good looks at the basket. Valley Heights wouldn’t lie down though, hitting shots of their own and getting good looks but weren’t converting. Eagles entered the fourth with a 60-27 lead, and with a running clock ending the game early the Eagles won 66-28.
Ethan Sacco led in scoring with 16 points, and added four rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Emitt Tiemeyer had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Levi Thrasher had 12 points, nine rebounds and a steal.
