Loss to Crusaders was all about the three

There’s the old adage “Live by the three, die by the three.”

Had the varsity Clippers hoisted 3-point attempts with their usual accuracy rate, they might have beaten visiting Mankato Loyola on Monday.

But as it was, they only made three of them: one by Keira Schipper and two by Addi Holden, all in the first half. Meanwhile, the Crusaders scored 36 points from behind the arc and, avenging an earlier-in-the-season loss, beat the host Clippers 60-43.

“I was hoping at the end of the first half, that would be the end of the Crusaders making threes, but that didn’t happen,” said head coach Joe Remiger.

But the Clippers gave the Crusaders too many second and third-chance opportunities, Remiger said, and that loomed large in the Clippers’ downfall.

“We really struggled on the boards.”

The Crusaders won the jump and put in the first of a trio of threes in three-straight possessions. Mariah McCabe assisted her sister Lacey McCabe in the mix for an inside basket, and Holden respond with a three, but with another basket from behind the arc, the Crusaders were up front 12-5.

Taking an assist from her sister Ava Hahn, Greta Hahn pumped in a jumper from the paint. McCabe hit a jumper, and Ava Hahn stole and drove the floor for a layup and followed with a spin inside on a McCabe assist, but the Crusaders still led 20-13.

Later in the first half, Schipper went to work for a couple of baskets, and she and Schipper each made a three to put the Clippers within a bucket, 28-26, at the break.

Mariah McCabe put in a jumper from the corner for the first basket after the intermission. Ava Hahn scored twice, the second time after making a steal, and Lacey McCabe put in a pair of free shots to put the Clippers in front 34-30.

But the Crusaders scored 20 of the next 21 points to cruise to the triumph.

No Clipper hit double figures. With eight points were Ava Hahn, Lacey McCabe, Schipper and Holden. Greta Hahn was limited to three baskets from the floor for six points. Mollie Bowman made three freebies for three total points. Mariah McCabe chipped in a basket in the second half.

Both teams made half of their 12 free throws.

The varsity girls return to action today (Thursday) when they travel to Sherburn to take on Martin County West. The Mavericks dumped the Clippers earlier in the season.

Above: Seniors Mariah McCabe and Greta Hahn were honored after the game for Senior Night, first with a speech by coach Joe Remiger and then with tributes from their respective sisters: Lacey McCabe and Ava Hahn.