HYDE, Pa. – Needing 28 points to reach the 1,000-point milestone, Clearfield’s Karson Rumsky did just that and helped the Bison to a 63-26 victory over Punxsutawney.
Also see Feb. 11 District 9 Boys’ Basketball Recaps
“It means a lot,” Rumsky, the 11th player in Clearfield boys’ basketball history to reach 1,000 points, said. “I want to thank my teammates and coaches for pushing me and getting me the ball.”
Karson Rumsky releases the free throw that gave him 1,000 career points. Photo by Jared Bakaysa of JB Graphics. See more of Bakaysa’s work here
The milestone came on a free throw with 4:33 left in the third quarter and Clearfield ahead 38-20.
With 27 points on the night, Rumsky took a foul-line jumper and was fouled sending him to the line to shoot two. He hit the first free throw to reach 1,000 career points.
Watch the sequence leading to Rumsky’s 1,000th point via Clearfield’s YouTube stream of the game
“I thought that last jumper was going to fall,” Rumsky said of his 1000th point being a free-throw. “(I was) definitely a little nervous, but I just shot it higher than the backboard like coach always says and I made it.”
Watch Rumsky’s entire postgame interview
Despite 17 first-half points from Rumsky, Clearfield struggled before halftime and led by just eight, 28-20, after trailing 16-12 after the first eight minutes.
Ethan Presloud was hot early for the Chucks scoring all six of his points in the first quarter to help Punxsutawney to the early lead.
But Clearfield ramped up the defense after allowing the 16 first-quarter points giving up just 10 the rest of the way.
Rumsky, who completed a double-double with 12 rebounds while also adding two steals, scored nine points in the second quarter to help the Bison go up by the break and continued to pour in the points in the third quarter scoring 11, including going 5 of 6 from the line, to help expand the lead to 20, 47-27, by the end of the third quarter.
Cole Miller hit three 3-pointers on his way to 11 points for the Bison. Miller chipped in six rebounds and five steals. Matt Pallo and Ryan Gearhart each contributed six tallies in the win.
Ethan Presloid paced Punxsutawmey with six points in the loss.
Clearfield head coach Nate Glunt along with Karson Rumsky (right). Photo by Jared Bakaysa of JB Graphics. See more of Bakaysa’s work here
Clearfield is now 12-5 on the year with Punxsutawney dropping to 1-7.
The Bison are back in action Monday at Curwensville, while the Chucks return to the hardwood Friday when they host DuBois.
CLEARFIELD 1,000-POINT BOYS’ SCORERS
1. Will Myers – 2017 – 1,436
2. Chris Moore – 1991 – 1,382
3. Matt Barnes – 1996 – 1,228
4. Mike McCorkle – 1997 – 1,199
5. Chris Barnes – 1987 – 1,166
6. Dick Troxell – 1970 – 1,164
7. Tommy Hazel – 2017 – 1,147
8. Cade Walker – 2020 – 1,062
9. Mark Crossan – 1981 – 1,055
10.Fred Riley – 1968 – 1,037
11. Karson Rumsky – 2021 – 1,000 (Through Feb. 11)
Karson Rumsky (center with basketball) with his Clearfield teammates after scoring his 1,000th career point. Photo by Jared Bakaysa of JB Graphics. See more of Bakaysa’s work here
