Dale Clancy scored a game-high 19 points to lead three Mountain Cat double figure scorers and Pitt-Johnstown break open a 3-point halftime lead in a 74-59 PSAC Western victory at Clarion on Saturday. 
 
Pitt-Johnstown started fast.  The Mountain Cats scored the first seven points and opened-up a 10-point led six minutes into the game.  A Josh Wise 3-pointer and back-to back baskets by Isaac Vescovi made it 7-0, before two more 3-pointers from Wise and a layup from Levi Masua put Pitt-Johnstown up 15-5.
 
After making just one of its first 12 shots, Clarion hit its next three, including Cameron Grumley's 3-pointer and Zavyer Craft's layup to get the Golden Eagles back to within three at 15-12.
 
The Mountain Cats answered with seven straight points of their own, capped by buckets from Vescovi and Wise, to push the lead back to 10 midway through the half.  Clarion battled back again.  This time, the Golden Eagles outscored Pitt-Johnstown 16-7 over the next eight minutes to narrow the gap to one at 29-28 on two Khari Williams' baskets and a Brandon Williams free-throw at 1:35.
 
Olando King, Jr. scored for Pitt-Johnstown with under a minute left to put the Mountain Cats up 31-28 at the half.
 
The Mountain Cats began the second half just as fast as they did the game.  Vescovi and Drew Magestro each connected on 3-pointers and Clancy followed with a basket in the paint to rebuild the Pitt-Johnstown lead to 39-28.
 
The Golden Eagles scored the next six to narrow the gap to five, but three 3-pointers from Clancy and baskets from King, Jr. and Masua closed out an 18-4 Mountain Cat run that broke it open and put Pitt-Johnstown in front 57-38 with 10:19 to play.
 
The Mountain Cats maintained at least a 14-point lead the rest of the way and extended the lead to as many as 21 with four minutes remaining on their way to the victory.
 
Clancy finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists to lead the Mountain Cats, while Vescovi had 18 points and six rebounds and Wise added 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.  Pitt-Johnstown also got eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds from Masua, six points and five rebounds from King, Jr. and six points from Magestro.
 
With his 19 points, Clancy is 18^th on the scoring list (1,158 points), fourth on the assists list (438), and sixth on the 3-point field goals list (178).  Vescovi currently stands in 27^th-place on the Mountain Cat All-time Scoring List with 1,038 points.
 
Pitt-Johnstown, which held a 43-33 advantage on the glass, shot 43.9% (29-66) from the field, 9-24 from 3-point range, and 7-12 from the free-throw line.  Clarion was held to 38.2% (21-55) shooting from the floor, 5-12 from behind the 3-point line, and 12-17 from the charity stripe.
 
Grumley's 18 points led Clarion, which fell to 3-9 overall and 0-6 in the PSAC.  The Golden Eagles also got 13 points and seven rebounds from Craft and 11 points from Mason Mraz.
 
The Mountain Cats will host PSAC doubleheaders with the women's team against Indiana (PA) on Wednesday beginning at 5:30 p.m. and Gannon on January 6 starting at 1 p.m.