CLARION, Pa. – Putting its size, speed, strength, and athleticism on full display, Redbank Valley won its first KSAC Championship since 1992 when the league was known as the Clarion County League with a 65-41 win over North Clarion at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.
“It’s been a long time since we have had a KSAC championship,” Redbank Valley head coach Emmanuel Marshall said. “It’s a good win for the program.”
In winning the title, the Bulldogs showed the ability to score in transition, from long range, and from a set offense.
That was especially true for the big three of Bryson Bain, Chris Marshall, and Marquese Gardlock.
The trio combined for 51 of the 65 points with Bain and Gardlock each scoring 18 and Marshall adding 15, including a pair of dunks that brought the crowd to its feet. Bain also had nine rebounds with Gardlock adding six.
They talked about winning the KSAC championship.
Bain set the tone early knocking down four first-quarter 3-pointers to help the Bulldogs open up an 18-10 lead at the end of the quarter.
While Bain was shooting lights out, Marshall and Gardlock were showing their athleticism in the open court and in the paint where they went around North Clarion defenders time and again.
“That’s our offense, that’s our program,” Emmanuel Marshall said.
For a moment in the second quarter it looked like North Clarion, which lost to Redbank Valley, 61-28, Jan. 21, was going to make a game of its.
Aidan Hartle, who led the Wolves with 12 points, hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored all eight points during an 8-0 run in the quarter that closed the gap to 21-18 with 4:50 to play in the half.
But Gardlock hit back-to-back 3-pointers, which really isn’t his game considering he had all of 11 (on 34 tries) coming into the game and scored the first eight points of a 13-2 run that also saw Bain hit another triple.
That run gave the Bulldogs a 34-20 lead with just under 2 ½ minutes left in the second quarter, and they went into halftime up 15, 38-23.
The lead grew to 20, 53-33, by the end of the third quarter, and Redbank Valley was well on its way to its 16th straight win and its third conference title (the Bulldogs also won the CCL in 1991).
“The goal was to try to peak at the right time,” Emmanuel Marshall said. “Like everybody knows, we got off the gridiron and the next day we started playing basketball. We played three games before we even had a practice. I had six of my top seven players trying to get the cleats off their feet. I am proud of these guys. They’re resilient. They battled through it. I am sure they didn’t want to lose any game. But we got through it, and here we are now.”
Both teams advance to the District 9 playoffs.
Redbank Valley is the top seed in Class 2A and awaits the winner of the Keystone at Clarion-Limestone game in the semfiinals. The Bulldogs are guaranteed two more games, as District 9 gets three PIAA playoff spots in 2A.
North Clarion is the fifth seed in Class 1A and plays at Cameron County at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25.
REDBANK VALLEY 65, NORTH CLARION 41
Score by Quarters
Redbank Valley 18 20 15 12 – 65
North Clarion 10 13 10 8 – 41
REDBANK VALLEY – 65
Tyson Adams 0 0-0 0, Bryson Bain 6 1-2 18, Marquese Gardlock 7 2-5 18, Chris Marshall 7 1-3 15, Nick Moore 0 0-0 0, Jack Shaffer 0 0-0 0, Owen Clouse 2 0-0 5, Mason Clouse 2 0-0 5, Aiden Ortz 0 0-0 0, Cam Wagner 2 0-0 4. Totals 26 4-10 65.
NORTH CLARION – 41
Aidan Hartle 4 2-2 12, Josh Daum 0 0-1 0, Ethan Carll 0 1-2 1, Collin Schmader 4 1-2 10, Drake Irwin 1 0-0 2, Andrew Castner 0 0-0 0, Cole Byers 2 2-2 6, Zeelan Hargenrader 4 2-3 10, Jacob Eisenman 0 0-0 0, Colbin Watterson 0 0-0 0, Mason Shaftic 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 8-12 41.
Three-pointers: Redbank Valley 9 (Bain 5, Gardlock 2, Owen Clouse, Mason Clouse). North Clarion 3 (Hartle 2, Schmader).
