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Loyalsock puts it all together late and rallies again to capture Heartland Conference championship

By Chris Masse 6 min read

SUNBURY--Nate Bauman drained a 3-pointer. Brendan Clark did the same. And then Gage Patterson sank a buzzer-beating trey before Jaiden Ross scored his team’s first six fourth-quarter points.

Saraj Ali dominated once again Friday night, but when all his teammates started showing how dangerous they are as well, everything came together. And, together, Loyalsock captured another championship.

Ali capped, arguably, the most brilliant performance in tournament history, scoring 35 points, grabbing 17 rebounds and dealing seven assists. All his teammates made monster contributions as well, changing the game’s complexion late in the third quarter and helping Loyalsock rally past Lewisburg, 63-50 to capture the Heartland Conference Tournament championship.

The Lancers (20-4) erased a six-point third-quarter deficit, closed the game on a 32-14 run and won their fifth championship in the tournament’s nine-year history.

"We just wanted to make sure that we stayed together as a team," Ross said after scoring 13 points and making four steals. "We knew the only way we were going to win was to outwork them and we started hitting 3s, taking it hard to the basket ... that’s what we needed to do."

It was the second straight night Loyalsock erased a second-half deficit of five or more points after surging past Shamokin in the closing three minutes Thursday. Ali was masterful again, but it was the sum of all Loyalsock’s parts which made the difference in both comebacks.

A night after Patterson ignited the comeback with a 3-pointer, Bauman did the same, cutting a five-point deficit to two with 3 ½ minutes remaining in the third quarter. Clark followed with a 3-pointer and a Bauman assist to Ali put Loyalsock ahead to stay.

Patterson’s 3-pointer as time expired capped a blistering 10-0 spurt in the quarter’s final 90 seconds and, in a flash, Loyalsock had turned a five-point deficit into a 44-38 lead. Ross scored Loyalsock’s first six points in the fourth and his final basket gave the Lancers a 10-point advantage.

"I wanted to come out strong and give my team a good lead," Ross said. "It was great that we all contributed to come out with the W."

"We need major contributions from all of them if we’re going to beat anyone good and that’s what we got," Loyalsock coach Ron Insinger said after securing the 39th 20-win season in his historic 48-year coaching career. "We didn’t play as tentative as (Thursday) night. We played with a little more authority and we were more assertive especially on the defensive end."

Lewisburg (19-5) never stopped battling and a Forrest Zelechoski putback pulled it within 50-43 just past the fourth-quarter’s midway point. Ali answered on the ensuing Loyalsock’s series and Clark’s steal, and layup highlighted a 7-0 run which helped the Lancers deliver the knockout blow against the co-HAC-I champions.

The Green Dragons were playing for the 10th time in 18 nights but delivered another quality performance. This was not about what they did wrong, but what Loyalsock did right.

"I told them when you go home tonight look in the mirror. If you can say you did everything you possibly could tonight that’s all anybody can ask for," Lewisburg coach John Vaji said. "As far as I’m concerned, they competed their tails off and that’s all I can ask. I couldn’t be prouder of the way they battled."

Like in the semifinals, Loyalsock traded blows with a District 4 Class AAAA title contender throughout the first half and the lead changed hands five times. Joey Martin’s late 3-pointer put Lewisburg up 26-23 at halftime and the Dragons extended that lead to six less than three minutes into the third quarter. Jake Hernandez scored inside and put Lewisburg up, 36-31 but Bauman’s 3-pointer provided a jolt and Loyalsock turned that into a seismic wave as it outscored Lewisburg by 18 over the final 11 ½ minutes. During that time, Loyalsock made 12 of 14 shots, including four 3-pointers.

"The thing about Lewisburg is they do a few things differently and we didn’t have an opportunity to prepare for them, so I was proud of the way the kids responded to a few changes we made," Insinger said. "There were times when we had four sophomores out there and they found the way. They played steady."

Ali played at another level.

The first team all-state selection again produced a virtuoso performance, unleashing his entire arsenal and willing his team at crucial junctures. He made 13 of 16 shots from the field, including a 3-pointer, went 8 for 9 at the line, produced a double-double three minutes into the second quarter. The senior forward also blocked four shots, made four steals and dealt six second-half assists.

The HAC started holding a tournament in 2013 and no player has ever dominated it like Ali did the last two nights. Against both HAC-I champions and after missing two weeks, Ali erupted for 72 points, 35 rebounds, 12 assists, seven blocks and six steals.

"I definitely think he has something to prove because since he’s been gone, we all stepped up," Ross said. "Now that he’s back he’s ready to eat."

"It’s just fun to watch him. He cleans the glass and he’s tough in the paint," Insinger said. "He’s a team player. If he has an opportunity to pass and someone is open, he’s going to get them the ball."

Hernandez provided Lewisburg a post weapon as well, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Four Dragons scored at least eight points and point guard Cam Michaels smoothly operated the offense again, dealing six assists in addition to pulling down seven rebounds and making four steals. Michaels finished the tournament with 16 assists and 17 rebounds.

Martin and Harris combined for four first-half 3-pointers, helping Lewisburg erase a five-point second-quarter deficit and take a halftime lead. Khashaun Akins helped spark a determined defensive effort as well and Lewisburg closed the second quarter on a 15-9 run.

"I thought everybody did whatever they possibly good to win the game," Vaji said. "They got after things and competed."

LEWISBURG (50)

Jake Herandez 7 2-2 16, Joey Martin 3 0-0 9, Cam Michaels 4 0-2 8, Forrest Zelechoski 3 1-2 7, Khashaun Akins 1 0-0 2, Henry Harrison 3 0-1 8, Jack Blough 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 3-7 50.

LOYALSOCK (63)

Saraj Ali 13 8-9 35, Brendan Clark 2 0-0 5, Jaylen Andrews 0 0-0 0, Jaiden Ross 6 1-2 13, Gage Patterson 1 0-0 3, Nate Bauman 2 0-0 6, Tyler Gee 0 1-2 1, Braydon Miller 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 10-14 63.

Lewisburg 11 15 12 12--50

Loyalsock 14 9 21 19--63

3-pointers: Lewisburg 5 (Martin 3, Harrison 2); Loyalsock 5 (Bauman 2, Ali, Clark, Patterson).

Records: Loyalsock 20-4. Lewisburg 19-5.

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