The Golden Eagles lost their second consecutive road game, falling to Shepherd by a score of 71-57. Clarion struggled to score against the PSAC’s second-ranked defense, shooting just 43.1% from the field and turning the ball over 15 times, which led to 17 points for the Rams.
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The Rams were a force on the offensive glass, outrebounding the Golden Eagles 14-7 and scoring 18 second-chance points.
Clarion tied the game at 16 after Trey Nelson hit a three-point jumper off a Traden Gray offensive rebound. The Golden Eagles then built a four-point lead, thanks to a pair of baskets from Cam Kearney and a coast-to-coast layup by Jeremy Thomas II.
Justice Easter was crucial in keeping the game close in the first half, scoring the Golden Eagles’ final four points and cutting the deficit to just two at the half. Easter had a strong outing for Clarion, finishing with a team-high 13 points and adding four rebounds.
The Golden Eagles took their first lead since early in the first half at 14:55 left in the second half, courtesy of a fast-break layup by Easter. However, Shepherd quickly regained the lead after Chase Paar converted a three-point play the old-fashioned way.
Clarion wasn’t finished yet, with Gray hitting a three-pointer off a nice assist from Nelson to bring the Golden Eagles back within two points. Carson Poffenberger attacked the offensive glass and scored a tip-in layup, extending the Rams’ lead to 42-38. Josiah Dow provided a quick spark for Clarion, scoring five points on back-to-back possessions, first with a three-pointer that cut the lead to one, and then with a mid-range jumper after a pair of Poffenberger free throws.
The Rams began to build their lead, going on a 12-2 scoring run fueled by two three-pointers, extending Shepherd’s advantage to 11 points. Clarion struggled to overcome the deficit, hindered by turnovers. The lead grew to as high as 17 down the stretch, with the game being punctuated by an alley-oop from Favor Okigweh.
