Men's Basketball Team Earns Home Playoff Game

The Edinboro men’s basketball team defeated Clarion in overtime Saturday, 97- 94, to clinch a home playoff game in the PSAC tournament.

The team is now 14-9 overall and 13-7 in the PSAC West. The Scots moved into second place with the win since Mercyhurst lost their game against Pitt-Johnstown.

Senior Henri Wade-Chatman said it feels great to get a home playoff game. It’s his first in his time at Edinboro and he said the program is “taking big steps forward.”

Edinboro had a very back and forth game against Clarion. There were 13 ties and 12 lead changes throughout the game.

Wade-Chatman had seven points in the overtime period, giving him a total of 27 for the game as well as 7 rebounds.

Clarion jumped out to an 88-85 lead at the start of overtime, but Wade- Chatman came down and hit a long two to bring the Scots within one.

On the other end, Clarion was fouled and made one of their two free throws. Wade-Chatman came down the court and drained a three to give the team the lead for good.

Following the three, Tommy Scales and Mikael Anderson each made a pair of free throws to put the lead at 94-89.

The Golden Eagles followed with a 5-1 run, bringing themselves within one point of the tie.

Scales went for one free throw to put the Scots up 96-94, and then, Clarion turned the ball over, allowing Wade-Chatman to make one of his two free throws to put Edinboro up by three. Clarion only had a chance for a full court heave to tie the game up, but the shot came up short.

Edinboro was leading 75-64 with 7:38 remaining, but they allowed Clarion to go on a 12-0 run and take the lead by one.

Wade-Chatman said, as a senior and a leader on the team, when the lead gets cut down like that, he has to be mature and lead the group back.

Head Coach Pat Cleary added, “We worked too hard to let these opportunities get away from us. We need to make sure we go out there and grasp every opportunity we can.”

Edinboro would battle back and reclaim the lead, 84-82, with 16 seconds left, but Clarion got a tip in with 0.6 seconds left to send it into overtime.

Wade-Chatman hit multiple shots in the final minutes of regulation, as well as overtime to keep the team in it.

“I believe in both me and Jaymon to make the big shots. That’s why we’re here,” Wade-Chatman said when speaking about who he wants to take the last shot.

Cleary said he also has confidence in both Mason and Wade-Chatman to make the tough, late shots during the game.

Scales finished with a double-double, his fifth of the season, with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Jaymon Mason had 17 points and with six of them coming from free throws. He broke Billy Wade’s school record for most made free throws in one season.

Michael Beck and Anderson each had 10 points and Anderson pulled down 5 rebounds.

Both Wade-Chatman and Mason each played all 45 minutes in Saturday’s game.

Michael McLaughlin is the Sports Editor for The Spectator and he can be reached at sports.spectator@gmail.com.

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