Bloomsburg Drops Heartbreaker in Men's Basketball

CLARION--The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team dropped a close 69-67 game in two overtimes to Clarion University on Sunday in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) cross-over game.

After Clarion took an early 5-4 lead in the game, Bloomsburg came back and grabbed a 30-23 halftime behind Nick Jones' (Rosedale, NY/Hillcrest) nine points.

The Huskies stretched their lead to nine points, 36-27, with 15:38 to play in the game on Marko Vucajnk's (Slovenia) jumper. Clarion rallied and cut the deficit to just one, 48-47, with 7:48 to play. Later, with the Huskies holding a 57-54 lead with less than 10 seconds to play, the Golden Eagle's Mike Sherry hit a three-pointer to force overtime tied a 57.

In the extra session, the Huskies again held a three-point lead, 62-59, this time with 1:07 left to play, when Sherry again hit a three-pointer to tie the game. Bloomsburg not convert any trips down the court into points and the teams went to a second overtime tied at 62-62.

In the second overtime, Clarion held a 68-64 lead with 57 seconds left to play when Buddy Rose (Philadelphia/Mastbaum) drilled a three-pointer to pull Bloomsburg within one, 68-67. However, a Demetrius Graham free throw with five seconds left made it a two-point game for Clarion. Bloomsburg had a chance to tie the game with no time remaining when Nick Jones was fouled just outside the 3-point line. The foul was called on the floor, but Bloomsburg was in the double bonus giving Jones two free throws. However, Jones missed the front end of the two-shot foul ending the game.

Jones finished with 18 points leading the Huskies, while Adon El (Philadelphia/St. John Neumann) had 15 points and 11 rebounds with Drew Jerry (Philadelphia/Olney) adding 10. Clarion, 2-4, got 16 points from Graham and 13 from Sherry in the win.

Bloomsburg, now 3-3, will host Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.