Tied with Sleepy Eye at the final two minutes, the Clippers couldn’t gain the lead and fell to the Indians at Bethany Saturday afternoon, 39-29.
The Clippers were coming off a 64-37 home loss to Mankato the night before.
Alex Johnson (above), Gavin Karels and Mason Kluntz each put in a basket to get the Clippers started on the Bethany court, but the Indians kept pace and then spurted for the next 10 points.
But the Clippers responded with a 10-point run too, which featured a Karels three and a steal for a basket, a Braeden Smith drive for a bucket, and an Alex Kortuem three that deadlocked the score at 16.
Sleepy Eye scored two points after that and went into the locker room up 18-16.
Johnson went to work early in the second half, first pulling down an offensive rebound and putting it back up for a bucket. He followed up with another inside basket off a Kluntz assist, but the Indians scored the next five points before Johnson spun for a two that pulled the Clippers within a point, 23-22.
From there, Smith scored after a Kortuem steal and assist and then stole at half court and put in a layup. With a Kluntz free throw with 4:25 remaining, it was all even at 27.
But two minutes later, with the Indians up by two, Smith fouled out. The Indians made free throws down the stretch. Nathan Brink and Kortuem each made a free throw for the last two Clipper points.
Johnson led the Clippers with eight points. Karels had seven points. Smith had six points. Kortuem had four points. Kluntz had three points. Brink had one point.
The Clippers made two baskets from three-point territory and three of 11 attempts from the foul stripe. Sleepy Eye made three threes and were 12 of 16 in free throw shooting.
In the first half against Loyola , Kortuem bagged three threes, and Brink sunk two, but the Clippers trailed 27-24 at halftime. The Crusaders outscored the Clippers 37-13 in the second half.
Kortuem led the effort with nine points. Brink and Kluntz each had eight points. Smith had six points, a three, a two and a free throw, all in the second half. Karels and Johnson each had a first-half bucket for a total of two points each. Killian Kunkel made two free throws in the second half for two total points.
The Clippers had six threes and were seven of 13 in free throw shooting. Loyola had five threes and was 13 of 24 from the foul line.
The B boys host Nicollet tonight (Monday).
Braeden Smith goes up for a shot during the Loyola game.
Mason Kluntz fights his way inside at Bethany.
Gavin Karels flies in for a shot against Sleepy Eye on the Bethany court.
Alex Kortuem dodges a Sleepy Eye defender.