Bloomsburg's Klunk more than stats

Scoring 18 points one game. Grabbing 10 rebounds in another. Picking up 10 assists in yet another game.

That’s what the season stat sheet lists under Morgan Klunk’s name. But statistics aren’t the only story when it comes to talking about the junior with the Bloomsburg women’s basketball team.

Klunk, a 5-foot-9 guard and a York Catholic grad, isn’t all about the scorebook.

“Morgan is extremely important in every facet of the game,” coach Bill Cleary said. “Her energy and effort really gets us going as a team. She is constantly striving to be better, and I truly believe that is why she is the player she has become.”

Of course, you can’t overlook the statistics. She’s third on the team in scoring (10.6), fourth in rebounding (4.5), first in assists (73) and second in steals (31) to help the Huskies get off to a 12-9 overall start and tied for fourth in the PSAC East with a 9-8 mark.

Klunk has started 75 of the 81 games she’s played with the Huskies during the past two-plus seasons.

“With every passing year, I feel more comfortable within our program because I am more acclimated with our system,” she said. “I definitely feel more and more confident every year because of my experience from the previous year.”

Cleary can see that, too.

“Morgan understands the system so well and most importantly believes in the system,” he said. “She has seen first-hand the success our program has had and how it is directly related to the system.”

Cleary was right up front when it came to recruiting Klunk.

“We had very high expectations of Morgan when we recruited her,” the coach said.

Before this season, Klunk spent a lot of time practicing her shooting.

“I wanted to become more of an offensive threat so I shot a lot more,” Klunk said of her summer workouts. “Also, I continued to lift and do different agility workouts to improve my speed and balance.”

She recently had a career-high 10 assists in an 88-62 victory against Shippensburg.

“A good assist is as much fun as a good basket,” she said. “That was especially true the night that Adreana (Sadowski) scored a school record 43 points.”

At 5-9, Klunk has a good size for a guard.

“I feel like I can make passes into the post easier because I can see over the guards defending me,” she said. “And, on defense, I feel like my size can intimidate shorter guards, which definitely works into my favor.”

To Cleary, Klunk is his favorite type of player.

“Morgan is never satisfied, and I love coaching players with that determination,” he said.

The coach feels that Klunk helps the team in another area.

“Morgan has been a tremendous leader,” Cleary said. “She has led the new players and has gotten them to believe in the system.”

That system has been pretty good. Under Cleary, the Huskies have captured five straight PSAC titles and have posted a 124-28 record. Last year’s team finished 26-5 and was beaten 72-69 by California in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region title game. It was the fourth straight season that the team has made it to the NCAAs.

“The team wants to win the East (division) again, win the PSAC title and make it to the NCAAs,” Klunk said. “The PSAC is very tough and unpredictable at times because on any given night a team can beat another team. But playing in such a competitive conference has definitely helped us progress as a whole.”

Cleary is also wary of making it to the next step.

“We have had our ups and downs this season but as long as we are getting better each day, I truly believe we can win our conference and make it to the NCAAs again.”

Of course, the path may be a little easier with Klunk in the lineup.