Injuries hurt Clipper girls in loss to Nicollet

Nicollet continued its reign over the varsity girls, defeating the Clippers for the second time this year on Thursday, 60-53.

While the Clippers, who were coming off a 53-16 loss to Martin County West on Monday, were ahead much of the game, the visiting Raiders, who beat the Clippers 86-72 in the season opener, took the lead with nine minutes left and held it.

The Raiders scored the game’s first seven points too, and that would be the difference.

“I don’t like that, and here we sit,” said head coach Joe Remiger, “but we fought back.”

With her team trailing 44-39, Ava Hahn scored but injured her ankle as she made her way to the basket and sat out the rest of the game. Despite threes from Lacey McCabe and Taylor McCabe, the Clippers couldn’t regain the lead, and the Raiders stole for a bucket and made a pair of free shots to hang on to the win.

“Losing Ava with seven minutes left hurt,” Remiger said.

Besides Hahn’ sitting out the key minutes, Delaney Thompson is still nursing a strained knee and didn’t dress, and Mollie Bowman couldn’t make the game due to illness.

After the Raiders jumped out 7-0, Addi Holden grabbed an offensive rebound and then took a Greta Hahn pass and spun from the baseline for a bucket, and Hahn dropped in an outside shot to pull the Clippers within a point, 7-6.

The Raiders added two more points, But Holden scored from outside, and Taylor McCabe put in a bucket from the baseline for an 11-10 Clipper advantage.

After Holden captured a loose ball and put it in for a basket, Lacey McCabe drove inside for two. The Raiders scored the next five points, but jumping on the McCabe bandwagon, Mariah McCabe knotted the game at 16.

The Raiders buried another three, but Taylor McCabe scored inside, and Greta Hahn and Mariah McCabe hit threes, and the Clippers were up 24-21 at the break.

Hahn opened the second half with a bucket, but the Raiders put in a two and a three to tie the game at 26.

From there, the lead swung back and forth. Ava Hahn got on the board with a three and scored on a layup, but the Raiders kept pace. Taylor McCabe and Lacey McCabe each scored to pull the Clippers in front by a point, but the Raiders responded with a two and a three. Greta Hahn put in a jumper, but the Raiders added two more baskets before Ava Hahn left the game.

“We had some good flashes in the middle,” Remiger said. “Our rebounding wasn’t the best, and we need to work on that.”

With 13 points, Greta Hahn led the effort. Taylor McCabe and Lacey McCabe each added nine points. Holden had eight points, all in the first half. Ava Hahn had seven points. Mariah McCabe scored five points, and Keira Schipper made two free throws in the second half for two points.

The Clippers put in five threes, all scored by the McCabe trio and the Hahn duo. They were a lackluster four of 13 from the foul line. The Raiders scored three times from the across the arc and were eight of 20 in free-throw shooting.

Martin County West 53, Cleveland 16

After the Mavericks scored the first seven points. Holden took an Ava Hahn toss and spun for the Clippers first bucket. The Mavericks went on another seven-point run that Greta Hahn broke up with a three, but that was it for Clipper scoring in the half, and the Mavericks led 27-5 at the intermission.

Greta Hahn took an assist from her sister for the first basket of the second half. Later, the senior put in a free throw, and Ava Hahn took a Mariah McCabe assist in for a bucket.

Greta Hahn looped in a couple of threes down the stretch, but that was all for the Clipper scoring, and the Mavericks waltzed away with the win.

Greta Hahn had 12 points. Ava Hahn and Holden each had two points. The Clippers made one of three foul shots. MCW put in four threes and were three of seven in foul shooting.

The Clippers return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Lake Crystal.

Above: Greta Hahn sets to launch a shot from a distance while a Nicollet defender moves in. Hahn led the effort with 13 points.