BROOKVILLE, Pa. (D9Sports)North Clarion had the play it wanted.
(Photo of Johnsonburg’s Ben Freeburg, the Hager Paving Player of the Game)
With about 15 seconds left and the Wolves trailing Johnsonburg by one in the District 9 Class 1A semifinals at Brookville High School, North Clarion’s Jesse Schmader inletted the ball to the Wolves 6-foot-7 junior Kyle Mills.
Mills turned and laid the ball up off the glass. The North Clarion faithful rose to their feet and started to roar, the other Wolves players started jumping in joy. But instead of hitting iron and rolling softly into the hoop, Mills’ shot somehow rolled off the front of the rim and out forcing North Clarion to foul the Rams.
Ben Freeburg, who had a team-high 11 points and was named the Hager Paving Player of the Game, proceeded to hit two free throws with 12.9 seconds left, and three North Clarion 3-pointers in the final 10 seconds — a set shot by Schmader and desperation heaves by Nathan Banner and Tyler McCord-Wolbert fell short giving Johnsonburg a 45-42 win.
“The worst part about it, I was talking to (former North Clarion head coach) Ryan Cornecki today and he said the last time we were in a championship game it was up here (in Brookville) because of snow. One of his boys, I think they were up one, drove baseline. The shot went in and rolled back out and Elk came down at the end of the game and hit a three. Deja vu, I guess for North Clarion. I thought the ball was halfway down the hoop, and it just bounced back up out.”
Relisten to the game
In a game that was close throughout, top-seeded North Clarion (20-4) seemed to be fighting an uphill battle for most of it with the Wolves either closing to within a point or tie or tying the game but never being able to take the lead until Mills connected on a shot with 2:17 to play off a Schmader pass to give North Clarion a 42-41 lead.
The Wolves then had a chance to expand the lead but turned the ball over with 1:35 to play, and on the turnover, North Clarion also fouled Austin Green, who hit both ends of a one-and-one with 1:35 left to give fourth-seeded Johnsonburg (18-7) the lead for good at 43-42.
North Clarion then patiently went about attacking Johnsonburg’s patented 3-2 zone before Schmader found Mills for what looked to be the play that was going to put the Wolves into the title game for the first time since 1999. But the basketball gods had other ideas.
“It’s by far the worst feeling I have ever had after a game,” Bish said. “Mostly because these seniors were freshmen when I took over the varsity job and it has been a goal of ours to get to that championship game. To come up that close, it’s pretty tough to swallow.”
The game featured North Clarion’s Nathan Banner scoring his 1,000th career point when he scored on a jumper midway through the first quarter. Banner came into the game needing three points for 1,000 in his career and finished the night with 18 and 1,015 career points.
Nathan Banner scored his 1,000th career point in the loss.
“It means a lot,” Bish said. “It was something I was hoping he would get to this year. I am glad for him. He has worked really hard and come a long way since his freshman year and he definitely deserves it”
Banner was at his best in the third quarter scoring 11 points while hitting three 3-pointer to keep North Clarion in the game.
“He was feeling it tonight,” Bish said. “It didn’t seem like the 1,000-point thing even had an effect on him. It was like congratulation, now let’s go. He played extremely well tonight.”
North Clarion’s season is far from over. The Wolves play Cameron County in the consolation game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at a site to be announced. They then head into the PIAA playoffs for the second straight year.
“The big thing is last year the way that it worked out we ended with three straight losses after a pretty decent season,” Bish said. “I told these guys we need to refocus. Let it sting a little tonight, but we want the next game heading into the state playoffs.”
Johnsonburg will take on Elk County Catholic in the D9 title game for the second straight year. The championship game will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.
JOHNSONSBURG 45, NORTH CLARION 42
Score by Quarters
Johnsonburg 16 7 14 8 — 45
North Clarion 13 9 13 7 — 42
JOHNSONBURG — 45
Isaac Scholder 0 0-0 0, Kacey Raubenstrauch 3 2-2 8, Austin Green 3 2-2 9, Trevor Lobaugh 4 0-0 9, Tyler Singer 2 0-0 4, Ben Freeburg 3 5-7 11, Nick Bliss 2 0-0 4. Totals 17 9-11 45.
NORTH CLARION — 42
Jesse Schmader 1 2-2 4, Sam Minich 0 0-0 0, Zander Hargenrader 0 0-0 0, Keeven Weaver 0 0-0 0, Logan Minich 2 1-1 5, Matson Higgins 0 0-0 0, Korey Mills 2 0-0 5, Tyler McCord-Wolbert 1 0-0 2, Nathan Banner 7 0-0 18, Noah Meyers 0 0-0 0, Kyle Mills 3 2-2 8. Totals 16 5-5 42.
Three-pointers: Johnsonburg 2 (Green, Lobaugh). North Clarion 5 (Banner 4, Korey Mills).
Rebounding: Johnsonburg 8 offensive, 15 defensive, 23 total (Bliss 5). North Clarion 17 offensive, 14 defensive, 31 total (Weaver 8, Kyle Mills 6, Korey Mills 5).
