G. Treon

CLAYSBURG — Trailing an inspired and feisty seventh-seeded Homer-Center team by six points as the third quarter wound down in a District 6 Class 2A quarterfinal-round boys basketball playoff game Tuesday night, second-seeded Claysburg-Kimmel was in dire need of a boost.

And sophomore guard Gavin Treon provided it.

Treon unloaded a 3-point shot from just inside the midcourt line that caromed off the backboard and through the basket, beating the third-quarter buzzer and pulling the host Bulldogs to within three points, 38-35 after three stops.

The momentum in the game switched definitely from that point on in favor of Claysburg, which ruled the fourth quarter, 17-6, to secure a 52-44 victory and earn another home game Friday night in the semifinal round of the tournament against third-seeded Bishop McCort.

“There was just a lot going through my head,” Treon, who scored a game-high 15 points, said of his big 3-point field goal. “I really wanted to set the tone there, and making that 3-point shot gave us a lift.

“When I let it go, I thought that it was going off to the left,” Treon added. “I didn’t think it would go in, and I was kind of surprised when it did.”

So was everybody else on hand in the Claysburg-Kimmel High School gymnasium.

“That really got us going,” said Claysburg coach Mike Harris, whose Bulldogs improved their season record to 20-5. “We were behind in the game, and kind of going through the motions, but that big shot propelled us going into the fourth quarter.”

Claysburg promptly tied the game, 38-38 early in the fourth quarter when junior forward Cole Walter converted an inside bucket, was fouled, and completed the traditional 3-point play.

“The tide turned with that 3-point shot that they made before the third quarter ended,” Homer-Center coach Paul Pohley said of Treon’s big effort. “They ran off the court at the end of the third quarter with all kinds of momentum, and they got an and-one right away to start the fourth quarter.”

Treon’s scoop shot gave Claysburg a 40-38 lead before junior guard Ethan Palmer’s inside bucket tied the game, 40-40 for Homer-Center (11-12) with just over six minutes left.

Senior guard Brayden Haney’s driving layup put Claysburg back in front, 42-40, but freshman Louie Rodman countered with a reverse layup for Homer-Center to tie the game again, 42-42.

Another bucket by Treon and a field goal off a jumper by Homer-Center junior Carson Arnone tied the score for the final time, 44-44, before Claysburg reeled off the game’s final eight points.

Junior forward Cory Walter’s putback in traffic gave the Bulldogs the lead for good, 46-44, with under two minutes left, and after Claysburg came up with a defensive stop, Haney drove down the middle of the middle of the lane and dished a nifty pass underneath to junior forward Cory Walter, whose short-range field goal put Claysburg up, 48-44 with 1:10 left.

Sophomore Jared Kulick got behind the Homer-Center defense to score a pair of layups off inbounds passes in the final minute to give Claysburg an eight-point margin of victory that was somewhat deceiving.

“Homer-Center plays in a very tough (Heritage) conference, they’re a good team, and I kept telling our players that they were going to hang around all night,” Harris said. “I think our players were nervous – tighter than bark on a tree – until the fourth quarter, and after we made that big shot to end the third quarter, our players started to relax and believe in themselves.”

Up next for Claysburg is the semifinal home game Friday with Bishop McCort, which defeated sixth-seeded Moshannon Valley, 64-42 Tuesday night.

“Bishop McCort is a very tough, well-coached, strong and athletic team,” Harris said. “But at least we have them at home. We’ve got to keep playing well now. I’m happy that our kids came together as a team in the fourth quarter tonight.”

Game notes: Haney scored 12 points for Claysburg, which got a team-high eight rebounds from Cory Walter … Homer-Center was led by senior guard Nash Budner’s 14 points, and 11 points from junior forward Joey Kosmack, who grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds … Claysburg converted eight of its 13 fourth-quarter floor shots, while Homer-Center made just three of its 10 in the final period.

HOMER-CENTER (44): Budner 6 1-4 14, Arnone 1 0-0 2, Kosmack 5 1-2 11, Palmer 2 0-0 5, Rodman 4 0-2 9, Cobaugh 1 0-0 3, Fisher 0 0-0 0. Totals – 19 2-8 44.

CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL (52): Haney 4 3-4 12, C. Treon 2 3-4 9, Cole Walter 2 1-1 5, G. Treon 7 0-0 15, Kulick 3 0-0 7, Cory Walter 2 0-0 4. Totals – 20 7-9 52.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Homer-Center 7 16 15 6 — 44

Claysburg-Kimmel 11 8 16 17 — 52

3-point goals: Homer-Center 4 (Budner, Palmer, Rodman, Cobaugh); Claysburg-Kimmel 5 (C. Treon 2, Haney, G. Treon, Kulick).

Records: Homer-Center (11-12); Claysburg-Kimmel (20-5).

Officials: Lance Hudak, Bill Holtz, Eric Ballarino.