Box Score
Pitt-Johnstown saw a 17-point second half lead evaporate, but never allowed Clarion to retake the lead and held off the Golden Eagles, 82-77, in Wednesday's 2014-15 PSAC-opener in the Sports Center.  Matt Palo scored a game-high 22 points to pace the Mountain Cats, now 2-0 overall and 1-0 in conference-play.
 
After five ties and seven lead changes over the first 11 minutes, the Mountain Cats began to take control.  Pitt-Johnstown used a 22-7 run over the next six minutes to build a 41-26 lead.
 
Ajan Smith's basket broke a 19-19 tie to start the run, before two of Palo's 13 first half points extended the Pitt-Johnstown lead to 30-21.
 
The Mountain Cats weren't done yet.  Two straight buckets by Rasaun Mosley, followed by A.J. Leahey's 3-pointer at 2:51 closed the run and gave Pitt-Johnstown the 15-point lead.
 
Clarion answered with baskets from Tony Gates and Darius Stevens in the final 19 seconds to cut it to 45-34 at the break.
 
The Golden Eagles kept the momentum to begin the second half and got a Kyheim Hall lay-up to quickly narrow it to eight.
 
However, an 11-2 Mountain Cat spurt extended it to 58-41 on Leahey and Smith lay-ups.
 
Clarion stormed back from the 17-point deficit to pull to within one at 64-63 on Justin Grant's free-throw with 5:31 to play.
 
However, Pitt-Johnstown would never give up the lead.  Two straight baskets in the paint from Ian Vescovi to extend it back out to five and Pitt-Johnstown went on to hit 6-of-9 free-throws down the stretch to seal the win.
 
Palo finished with 22 points, six rebounds, and six assists to lead four Mountain Cats who scored in double figures.  Smith scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds off the bench, while Leahey had a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.  Vescovi's 12 points and eight rebounds rounded out the Pitt-Johnstown players who scored in double figures.
 
The Mountain Cats shot 52.6% (30-57) from the field, while holding the Golden Eagles to just 43.3% 29-67) shooting.
 
Hall's 20 points and 12 rebounds led the way for Clarion.  The Golden Eagles, now 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the PSAC, also got 17 points from Grumley, and 13 points apiece in from Gates and Brandon Williams in the loss.
 
The Mountain Cats travel to Slippery Rock for a PSAC game on Saturday, before competing in the 2014 IUP Classic on November 29-30.  Pitt-Johnstown will play its next home game on December 6 when Seton Hill visits the Sports Center for a conference doubleheader with the Lady Cats.