A win over visiting St. Clair was within the sights of the B-Squad girls on Tuesday, but the Cyclones turned up their full-court pressure late, scored the last 11 points and downed the Clippers 42-35 on Thursday.
The Clippers were coming off a 51-17 loss in Lake Crystal on the Tuesday before.
Keira Schipper (above), who went on to lead all players with 23 points, scored the game’s first three points on a free throw and a bucket from the baseline on an in-bounds pass.
With the Clippers trailing 4-3, Taylor McCabe punched in a layup, Samantha Baker scored from the baseline, McCabe hit another layup, Mollie Bowman grabbed an offensive rebound and scored, and Schipper scored twice inside for a 15-8 Cleveland advantage.
With five more points from Schipper, and a Kaitlyn Flowers jumper from outside, the Clippers led 22-17 at the break.
Schipper plopped in a pair of threes, and after Flowers took an Olivia Reinhardt toss up and in from a distance, and the Clippers led 33-30.
But after Schipper sunk a pair of foul shots to put the Clippers in front 35-31, that was it for Clipper scoring, and the Cyclones pressed the Clippers hard, stealing on their end of the court that resulted in two baskets to deadlock the game at 35.
From there, the Cyclones sunk a three and three freebies, all after steals, to cruise to the triumph.
Flowers totaled four points effort. McCabe scored four points, and Bowman added two points. Both only played the first half. Baker chipped in a bucket.
The Clippers were four of 14 from the foul line. St. Clair also scored a pair of threes and was eight of 17 in free-throw shooting.
In Lake Crystal, the Knights were in front 33-11 at the break. With 11 points, seven of them in the first half, Schipper also led the Clipper scoring in that game. Flowers had two points in the first half. Baker had two points in the second half. Bowman put in a basket in the first half and a free throw in the second half.
The Clippers made one of eight free throw attempts. The Knights dropped in a pair of threes and were three of four from the foul line.
The Clippers road trip to Granada tonight to take on Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther.
Mollie Bowman takes the ball inside against St. Clair. Saved for the varsity, Bowman only played in the first half.
Taylor McCabe drives to the bucket with St. Clair players trailing. She also only played in the first half.
Kaitlyn Flowers heads toward the lane as two St. Clair defenders.
Delaney Thompson got a few minutes in during the St. Clair game but was still bothered by an injured knee.
Taylor Wolf looks inside while a Knight defender moves in on her.