As the final seconds were winding down in Cleveland 39, host Le Sueur-Henderson 74 on Tuesday, Blake Lyons surveyed the floor.
On an impromptu Senior Night, Lyons, dribbling near the top of the key, was looking for Dakota Alitz, one of two 12th graders on the team. Lyons wanted to give Alitz an opportunity to make his first varsity basket.
Lyons completed the pass, and, with an open look, Alitz launched a shot (above), but it caromed off the rim.
“I tried,” said the senior. “I tried.”
While, like Lyons, Alitz was hoping longtime bookkeeper Greg Davis could have finally penciled points beside his name, he is glad to be in a Clipper uniform this season after a several year hiatus. With his game time mostly confined to a few minutes here and there on B squad, it would have been easy for him to spend his spare time this winter inside an icehouse or behind an Xbox instead of on a basketball court, but he said head coach Mike Meyer has motivated him to stick with the program.
“I have a great coach. He has always supported us.”
And when Alitz’s high school career is over, knowing someone has his back will be the takeaway.
“There will always be someone there supporting you, whether you think so or not.”
“They’re good kids,” Meyer said about Alitz and Jordan Schmidt, the other senior. “They’re constantly picking up the younger guys. Dakota always has something to say. He watches the game and sees it like a coach would see it. He sees what the defense is right away. He always has ideas. And Jordan, any time a young player comes off the court, he’s always picking him back up. They are always fun to be around. They don’t contribute a lot as far as scoring, but they are good teammates, and that is the main part.”
Lyons dropped in a three from the corner for the game’s first basket. Jorden Rossow stole and made a layup, and the Clippers were in front 5-3.
LSH scored the next seven points though before Lyons hit another three, but the Giants, strong on the boards, took over after that and brought a 44-19 lead into the locker room.
LSH maintained a lead that doubled the Clippers’ score in the second half and cruised to the triumph.
Lyons and Kyle Connor each had a baker’s dozen points in the effort. Carson Lyons had nine points. Rossow added two points. Alex Johnson chipped in two points off the bench.
Blake Lyons’ two baskets from behind the arc were the only threes for the Clippers. They made half of their 18 foul shots. The Giants put in six threes and were six of 12 in free throw shooting.
In his first year participating in Cleveland basketball, Schmidt, who also plays on the B squad, has posted points in the varsity. The senior duo, which started at Le Sueur, was supposed to be honored last week before the home game against Waterville-Elysian-Morristown on Thursday, but that contest and Tuesday’s game against visiting Randolph were cancelled due to the snowstorm.
Alitz, Schmidt and company will return to action on Friday when the 11th-seeded Clippers travel to Janesville to take on the sixth-ranked Bulldogs in the first round of the section 2A south tournament.
Jordan Schmidt tries to get possession under the Clipper rim.
Jorden Rossow goes up for a layup after he stole near mid court.
Carson Lyons ducks between defenders.
Blake Lyons drives as LSH defenders put up a fence.
Gabe Sullivan dishes off.
Kyle Connor on the drive.
Alex Johnson sets for a shot while a defender goes up for a block.
Kale Kelley works the ball as a pair of LSH defenders move in for a trap.
Brady Bostic looks for a handle.
Bode Bartell takes the ball through the lane.