Basketball Recap: Alyssa Amenti's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Richland over Clearfield

Richland was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They took a 54-44 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Clearfield Bison. The Rams were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Bison apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in February of 2024.

Richland's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Alyssa Amenti, who posted 12 points. The dominant performance gave Amenti a new career-high in points. Lanie Marshall was another key player, putting up eight points along with ten rebounds and five steals.

Even though they lost, Richland smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in four consecutive matches.

Clearfield's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Sonny Diehl, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 17 boards. Diehl has been hot, having also posted three or more steals the last eight times she's played. Another player making a difference was Eve Helsel, who earned 27 points and six rebounds.

Richland's loss dropped their record down to 9-9. As for Clearfield, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won nine of their last ten contests, which provided a nice bump to their 12-4 record this season.

Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Richland will take on Central Cambria at 7:15 p.m. on Monday. As for Clearfield, they will challenge Bellefonte at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Clearfield has four straight wins, Bellefonte has 15 straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the court.