Emphatic win: DeShields, Gallagher, Cavanagh star as Mustangs romp over Bison
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Keondre DeShields prepares to dunk the ball after receiving a lob pass from Mason Bolish during Friday night’s PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School. DeShields scored 30 points including five dunks in the Mustangs’ 82-59 win.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher sinks a floater despite begin fouled during Friday night’s PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School. Gallagher had 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the Mustangs’ 82-59 win.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Patrick Cavanagh scores between two Clearfield players during Friday night’s PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School. Cavanagh had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the Mustangs’ 83-59 win.
Laurel Highlands' Keondre DeShields soars above two Clearfield players while putting up a shot during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School. DeShields scored 30 points in the Mustangs' 82-59 win.
Laurel Highlands' Rodney Gallagher takes off on a drive to the basket during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School. Gallagher totaled 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the Mustangs' 82-59 win.
Laurel Highlands' Blaise Krizner brings the ball up court as Clearfield's Morgan Billotte defends during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School. Krizner scored nine points in the Mustangs' 82-59 victory.
Laurel Highlands' Keondre DeShields dunks a the ball after receiving a lob pass from Mason Bolish during the first quarter of Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
Laurel Highlands' Rodney Gallagher hits a jump shot over Clearfield's Luke Pallo during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
Laurel Highlands' Antwan Black (32) defends Clearfield's Cole Miller (33) during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
Laurel Highlands' Rodney Gallagher attempts a jump shot during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School. Gallagher had 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the Mustangs' 82-59 win.
Laurel Highlands coach Rick Hauger directs his team during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
Laurel Highlands' Rodney Gallagher looks to pass as Clearfield's Anthony Lopez defends during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
Laurel Highlands' Keondre DeShields makes a jump shot over Clearfield's Braison Patrick during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
Laurel Highlands' Antwan Black shoots a free throw during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
Laurel Highlands' Rodney Gallagher puts up a shot in the lane during Friday night's PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Clearfield Area High School.
CLEARFIELD — Keondre DeShields proclaimed his previously sprained ankle to be 100 percent after Friday night’s basketball game.
“Yeah, my ankle’s fine now,” said the Laurel Highlands senior.
That seemed fairly obvious from the five dunks DeShields threw down against host Clearfield in the Mustangs’ PIAA Class AAAA first round playoff game.
DeShields wound up with a game-high 30 points and Rodeny Gallagher added 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds as Laurel Highlands romped over the Bison, 82-59.
Patrick Cavanagh contributed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds along with two blocked shots and three steals for LH which also got nine points from Blaise Krizner.
“Good one to win with a long trip, playing a good team in a great atmosphere,” LH coach Rick Hauger said. “I’m happy for our guys. They really earned it.”
The Mustangs (23-3) advance to Tuesday’s second round where they will face Hampton (24-3) at a site and time to be determined.
Clearfield (17-7) stayed in the game early with its long-range shooting but once Laurel Highlands’ offense kicked into gear the Bison couldn’t keep up. Driving to the basket and sinking midrange shots, the Mustangs were also helped by their interior passing which resulted in a slew of easy buckets.
Laurel Highlands was over 50 percent from the field for the second game in a row, converting 38 of 62 shots (61.3%). DeShields made 14 of 20 attempts, Gallagher was 12 of 23 and Cavanagh was five of six. Krizner hit all four of his shots and Mason Bolish was two for two.
Bolish followed Gallagher in the assist column with four and the team has 17 overall.
“The more I get my teammates involved the better we’re going to be and the more points we’re going to score,” Gallagher said when asked about his stellar floor game against Clearfield.
“No question we passed the ball well tonight,” Hauger said. “Both Rodney and Keondre are really good passers but the other guys have stepped it up in that regards too. Patrick is starting to make some noise around the hoop that we need a whole lot. I’m happy for him because he’s a good kid and he works hard. It’s seems like his game steps up a little bit more each night.”
Cavanagh was a force underneath the basket at both ends of the court.
“We knew coming in they really couldn’t bang in the paint with us so we were looking to get inside,” said Cavanagh, who added with a smile, “Coach tells me every rebound is two points that the other team doesn’t get so I guess really I got 20 points tonight.”
Laurel Highlands closed the first quarter with a 15-5 run to take a 24-15 lead and stayed in control the rest of the game. The burst included two dunks by DeShields both on passes from Bolish.
The District 9 champion Bison got within six three times in the second quarter before the Mustangs went on a 10-2 spurt that included a spinning layup by DeShields as well as another dunk on a lob from Gallagher for a 14-point lead. LH ended the half up 41-29.
Krizner swished a 3-pointer to start the second half and Laurel Highlands bumped its lead up to 17 after a DeShields dunk of a missed Gallagher shot and a Cavanagh basket before settling on a 59-46 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Morgan Billotte’s layup got the Bison within 11 early in the final frame but the Mustangs answered with a 17-2 run that included a 3-pointer by Bolish and eight points by DeShields with two coming on yet another dunk to put the game away.
The five dunks were a personal record for DeShields.
“I had 11 in a scrimmage one day but in a real game that’s the most for sure,” said DeShields who also had five rebounds, two assists and two steals. “I felt good today. I was moving well, jumping well.”
Hauger felt his team’s defense picked up as the game went on.
“That’s a good shooting team,” Hauger said. “We started doing a better job closing out on their shooters so they were missing some, we were getting some rebounds and getting out in transition. That’s probably where we’re best. But we did need to try to control tempo in a game like this and I thought eventually we got it our way.”
Clearfield coach Nathan Glunt admitted his team hadn’t faced the likes of the Mustangs this season.
“They are very talented,” Glunt said. “They’re a well-coached team with excellent spacing and they play hard. They move well without the ball and then when No. 1 (DeShields) and 2 (Gallagher) get the ball, they’re just dynamic athletes. We just haven’t seen that speed and athleticism.”
Clearfield hit nine 3-pointers, including three each by Braison Patrick and Andon Greslick who scored 15 and 13 points, respectively. Cole Miller also had 13 points with a 3-pointer.
“I have great kids,” Glunt said. “They don’t lay down, they don’t quit. They kept battling to the end no matter what the score was.”
It’s now onto the next for the Mustangs.
“We felt good,” said Gallagher, who is now 27 points away from 2,000 for his career. “We’ve been working very hard. We want to keep playing as long as we can.”