It was a classic battle between size and quickness on Tuesday when the seventh-grade girls traveled to Alden.
Quickness prevailed with the Clippers coming back from a deficit in the second half to topple the Knights 41-33.
Myrriah Rutz, who co-coaches with Brandi Grandaw, said defense and specifically setting up a trap made the difference.
“When we press, we do pretty well. There’s not a lot of good ball handlers out there.”
With her team down 4-0, Harper Rutz slid in a pair of free throws for the first Cleveland points. Brooke Bosse grabbed an offensive rebound and scored and then assisted Clara Hilfer to deadlock the contest at six.
Scoring two after an offensive rebound and two more on a steal, the Knights went ahead, but after Mattea Grandaw airmailed a basket from the corner, Emma Kortuem went to work with 10-straight points, including four gratuity baskets, and the Clippers were suddenly up 18-10.
The Knights didn’t roll over though and scored the next seven points, but Bosse assisted Grandaw for another basket from the baseline, and the Clippers held a 20-17 lead at the pause.
It was a close contest for most of the second half. Rutz made two free shots, scored on an in-bounds play and iced two shots from outside while Bosse added two more baskets, but the Knights put in three-straight baskets to lead 31-30.
But when Kortuem buried a pair of freebies, the Clippers regained the lead.
After a Kortuem steal, Bosse scored on a layup and made back-to back foul shots, and the Clippers never looked back. Rutz and Kortuem each made a pair of free throws and Bosse scored on a Kortuem steal and assist to put a bow on the triumph.
“We’re just scrappy,” coach Rutz said. “Tonight, we moved the ball around.”
With 14 points, Kortuem marched the Clippers. Bosse added a dozen points. Rutz scored nine points. Gradaw had four points, and Hilfer posted two points.
In Le Sueur on December 11, the Clippers edged the Giants in a defensive battle 20-17. Bosse had seven points. Rutz and Kortuem each had five points, and Charlotte Meyer contributed a basket.
The seventh graders led all the way against GHEC in Truman on December 7. The Jaguars kept it tight, but the Clippers came out on top, 26-23. Grandaw led the Clippers with a dozen points. Kortuem added eight points. Bosse had five points, and Rutz chipped in a free throw.
Despite having to play eighth-grade teams, the seventh-grade girls have won their last four games and are now 4-1. In one win and their only loss, they were combined with sixth graders.
They host Madelia tonight (Friday) in a 4:30 pm contest. There will be just one game.
The sixth graders will not combine with seventh graders for single games in the future but instead play in Community Education tournaments. The sixth graders will still compete (against seventh-grade teams) when there are double headers.
Above: Brooke Bosse makes a move inside.
Clara Hilfer works her way between two defenders.
Emma Kortuem coils for a shot.
Harper Rutz crashes with a defender.