CLARION, Pa. (D9Sports) — As strong as the Clarion High School boys’ basketball season has been, the one thing missing from the Bobcats resume was a quality win.

(Photo: Cam Craig of Clarion was named the Hager Paving Player of the Game)

Not anymore.

Cam Craig’s driving layup with 1:48 to play lifted the Bobcats to a 43-42 win over visiting Keystone snapping the Panthers 10-game win streak while handing the boys from Knox just their third loss of the year.

“It was huge for us,” Craig said. “Our main focus was to shoot the ball better than we did at C-L (Friday night when Clarion shot 23 percent in an eight-point loss).”

Craig’s game-winning driving layup was only an afterthought following the game, however, as everyone’s thoughts were with Clarion sophomore Nick Frederick who suffered a leg injury with 6.9 seconds left in the game and the Bobcats up one.

On a loose ball, Frederick got hurt in front of his bench with the training staff immediately rushing to his aid. Unfortunately, an aircast had to be put on the leg and, eventually, Frederick was taken from the gym on a stretcher and taken to Clarion Hospital. There was no immediate update on his condition, although, in a Twitter video posted by teammate Zak Bauer from Clarion Hospital, Frederick seemed to at least be in good spirits.

Craig talked about his teammate after the game.

“When you lose a player like him to something like that, you can’t replace his talent, his capability, his hustle” Craig said. “You can’t replace him. That just means some guys on the bench are going to have to step up for him and come in and do what he does and bring his intensity every day.”

When play resumed after a delay of nearly 20 minutes following Frederick’s injury, Keystone had the ball in front of the Clarion bench and inbounded it before calling timeout with 5.4 seconds left in front of its bench.

After the timeout, Archer Mills intercepted a pass from Corey Rapp and was fouled with 1.9 seconds to play to secure the win.

“We were just telling each other, we are doing it for Nick,” Craig said about what the players were talking about during the injury timeout. “From that moment, that is what it was about, do whatever we can to win that for Nick.”

Clarion entered the fourth quarter up three, 33-30, after erasing an early nine-point deficit, 19-10.

But Keystone grabbed the lead, 37-35, thanks in part to six points from Rapp.

Freshman Calvin German tied the game at 37 with 4:49 left on an offensive putback, and Josh Craig, Cam’s younger brother, showed ice in his veins drilling a 3-pointer with 3:41 to go to put Clarion back in front, 40-37.

A free throw by Austin Hummell made it 41-37, but Dawson Steele had the answer for Keystone with a three of his own followed by a steal and a layup to give the Panthers their final lead, 42-41, with 2:19 to play.

Craig, however, answered with his driving layup to set the final score.

“I give my team credit,” Craig, who is now eight points shy of 1,000 in his career, said. “I know they have that trust in me. I have trust in myself, and the coaches have it in me. I knew that I needed to make something happen. That time, it worked.”

Listen to all of Craig’s thoughts on the game, as he was named the Hager Paving Player of the Game.

CHRIS’ THOUGHTS

1. Clarion won the type of game it will need to win come postseason time.

A low-scoring, slugfest is the best way to describe Monday’s game. That type of game usually favors Keystone. But Clarion showed it could play that style as well, and that’s great for the Bobcats. Because in the brutal District 9 Class 2A field, only Coudersport will want to run with Clarion. The other contenders — most notably Keystone and Ridgway — will want to slow the game down like it was Monday. And for Clarion to be able to win a game like that, shows the Bobcats can play whatever style of basketball is needed to win in the postseason.

2. Clarion’s defense really got after it.

Clarion’s defense gave Keystone fits. The Panthers turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 22 times, including eight times in the second quarter which caused the nine-point lead, 19-10, to become a three-point deficit, 26-23, at halftime.

3. Keystone hit threes early but that was pretty much it for the Panthers offense.

Keystone knocked down five 3-pointers in the game’s first nine minutes but hit just two the rest of the way. And when the threes stopped falling, the Panthers offense struggled scoring just nine points from the field from early in the second quarter until the end of the third allowing Clarion to jump out in front.

4. Clarion was overdue for a win in a close game.

Going into the night, Clarion had played four games decided by three or fewer points but had only won one of them. Those things generally even out as a year goes on, and so it was probably Clarion’s time for a close win.

5. These teams are evenly matched.

Keystone and Clarion have played twice this year with each team winning by a point. Keystone beat Clarion, 49-48, Dec. 9 at Keystone. I’m not sure it gets much closer than that, and I would love to see this game again in the postseason.

THE OUTCOME

Clarion improved to 11-5 on the year, while Keystone fell to 13-3.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Clarion hosts Venango Catholic Wednesday and is at Cranberry Friday.

Keystone has an important game at Karns City Wednesday before hosting Moniteau Friday.

CLARION 43, KEYSTONE 42

Score by Quarters

Keystone 16 7 7 12 — 42
Clarion 8 18 7 10 — 43

KEYSTONE — 42

Isaak Jones 1 2-2 4, Dalton Jones 2 0-0 6, Ian Henry 2 0-0 4, Corey Rapp 3 0-0 6, Nate Wingard 2 3-6 9, Brooks LaVan 1 0-0 2, Max Thompson 1 0-0 3, Connor Exley 0 0-0 0, Luke Hurrelbrink 1 0-0 3, Dawson Steele 2 0-0 5. Totals 15 5-8 42.

CLARION — 43

Archer Mills 1 0-0 2, Zak Bauer 0 0-0 0, Spencer Miller 0 0-0 0, Austin Hummell 2 4-6 8, Cam Craig 6 4-5 16, Skylar Rhoades 0 0-0 0, Josh Craig 2 0-0 6, Gavin Brinkley 0 0-0 0, Nick Frederick 3 0-0 6, Jacob Burns 0 0-0 0, Calvin German 2 0-0 5,. Totals 16 8-11 43.

Three-pointers: Keystone 7 (D. Jones 2, Wingard 2, Thompson, Hurrelbrink, Steele). Clarion 3 (J. Craig 2, German).

Rebounds: Keystone — 10 offensive, 16 defensive, 26 total. (Wingard 8, Rapp 5). Clarion — 9 offensive, 15 defensive, 24 total (Hummell 9).