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BLOOMSBURG – Ten points down the stretch from junior guard Jon Riles (Philadelphia/Academy of the New Church) over the final four-plus minutes broke a late tie and sent the Bloomsburg men's basketball team to a 61-53 triumph over Clarion Friday afternoon at Nelson Field House.

Bloomsburg (8-3) led for nearly 35 minutes of game time, but Clarion (2-7) kept the score tight throughout. The Huskies grabbed a double-digit lead midway through the first half, but ultimately took a 30-26 lead to halftime and the difference remained in single digits throughout the second period.

The Golden Eagles knotted the score at 47 following a pair of free throws from Mike Kromka with 5:07 to play, but Riles lifted the Huskies in the final minutes, beginning with a 15-foot jumper to break the tie for a 49-47 lead on the next possession.

Following a defensive stop, Riles stretched the lead with a 3-pointer for a 52-47 edge. Anthony Baker connected on one of two shots at the line for Clarion on the other end, but Riles drilled another three with 2:40 to play to extend the lead to seven.

DaMarius Miller gave Clarion hope with a long-range shot of his own to cut the lead to 55-51 with 1:13 remaining, and a Huskies turnover gave the ball back to the visitors. Bloomsburg forced a Clarion turnover, however, and the returning Dontahe Jordan (Williamsport/Williamsport) helped put the game away. Jordan, in his first action since Dec. 4 due to injury, hit the front end of a 1-and-1 with 31 seconds remaining to put the Huskies lead at three possessions and would connect on the second shot as well for a six-point lead.

A Huskies' defensive stop forced Clarion to foul and Riles put the game on ice with a pair of free throws with 21 seconds remaining.

Riles registered a game-high 16 points, just one off his career-high of 17 set vs. Gannon on Dec. 21, also adding a team-best four assists along with four rebounds. Alssene Saintilus (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) posted 11 points and six boards while Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy) and Zach Sheetz (Landisville/Hempfield) each had eight points.

Jordan had six points and eight rebounds off the bench and Moustapha Noumbissi (Upper Darby/Delaware County Christian School) recorded a team-high nine rebounds and three blocks.

Kromka led Clarion with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds and Marques Jones added 12 points while Miller also netted 12.

The Huskies finished with 18 points off 15 Clarion turnovers and held a 46-39 advantage in rebounding.

Bloomsburg has a quick turnaround, hosting Pitt-Johnstown for another Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover contest on Saturday afternoon at Nelson Field House in a 3 p.m. start.

GAME NOTES: Bloomsburg received a strong presence on the boards from Jordan and Noumbissi who combined for 17 of the Huskies' season-high 46 rebounds. Noumbissi returned to the lineup on Dec. 21 after also missing nearly a month with injury … the Huskies improved to 6-0 at home … Seven games this season have been decided by single digits. The Huskies are 4-3 in such contests … Saintilus has tallied double-digit points in eight straight games.