Clearview boys fall in sectional final

It seemed like it would be a classic matchup between two divisional champs, but Buckeye ruled from the beginning as the Bucks beat Clearview, 75-60 in a sectional final.

The game had all the makings of a classic: two division champions from the same conference with rich basketball traditions getting together for a sectional championship.

Unfortunately, the setup was much more intriguing than the actual event, as host Buckeye jumped to a 16-4 lead and never trailed, topping Clearview, 75-60, to win a Division II sectional crown March 3. Buckeye won the Stars Division of the Patriot Athletic Conference, while Clearview finished atop the Stripes Division.

“Buckeye played a very, very good game tonight,” Clearview coach John Szalay said. “They shot well, they defended well. They deserved to win. I love my kids. They played hard all year. But let’s give credit where credit is due. Buckeye deserved to win.”

Clearview seniors Deuce Martin and DeAri Todd did all they could to keep the season alive, scoring 23 and 19 points, respectively. But nobody else had more than four points for the Clippers, who ended their season with an 18-5 record.

Buckeye, which is now 19-3, hurt the Clippers with dribble penetration, especially point guard Michael Novick. Clearview’s game plan was to doubleteam the ballhandler on a high screen, but the Bucks were too quick and too aggressive, constantly getting penetration and then either taking the ball to the basket or kicking it out to a 3-point shooter.

Buckeye made 11 3-pointers in all, led by

Braeden Stauffer with six and Novick with four. Stauffer led all scorers with 28 points, and Novick added 22.

“We wanted to double the ball,” Szalay said. “But for some reason we were always a step slow. That I’m disappointed in. They played faster than us, especially in the first half.”

While the Bucks were playing fast, the Clippers were sluggish, as Buckeye jumped to leads of 11-2 and 16-4. Clearview didn’t let the lead get out of hand, trailing, 20-11, after one quarter and, 37-27, at the half. Then, things turned around three minutes into the third quarter.

Trailing by 13, 44-31, the Clippers turned up the pressure and scored 12 consecutive points during a 14-2 run, coming all the way back to cut the deficit to one, 46-45, entering the final quarter.

“It just seemed like we could never get a run and sustain it,” Szalay said. “We finally got one in the third quarter and cut it to one, but then they made a couple of big shots.”

Thirty seconds into the final period, Novick hit a 3-pointer, and 30 seconds later Stauffer hit a long 3 from behind a solid double screen, and suddenly the score was back up to 52-45.

Novick later added another 3 that hit the rim twice, then kissed the glass before falling through, giving the Bucks a 55-47 lead that they would only increase the rest of the way, bringing Clearview’s season to an end.