B Boys come back for win over Mayer Lutheran

Down the stretch, everything went the way of the Clipper B-squad boys in a 52-45 come-back win over Mayer Lutheran.

The game was played in Cleveland’s old gym on Tuesday.

With the Clippers trailing 41-33 after the Crusaders hit a three, Braeden Smith dove in for a layup and made the ensuing and-one shot. Alex Kortuem followed with a layup. The Crusaders scored again, but it was all Clippers from there.

Smith went to the line for a one-and-one. He missed, but the Clippers hauled down the rebound. With the Clippers still in possession, Smith was all alone under the bucket on an in-bounds pass and scored before Kortuem parked a three to deadlock the game 43-43 with four minutes remaining.

With play getting more and more physical, Mason Kluntz (above) made a pair of free shots to put the Clippers up front. Down the stretch, Sam Ternes hit back-to-back free shots, and Smith rebounded and scored. The Crusaders managed a pair of foul shots, but Smith punctuated the win with a three.

Gavin Karels put in a three and a pair of twos in the first half, Kluntz scored six points, and Alex Johnson had five points, but the Clippers trailed at the break, 24-18.

Kortuem made the first two Clipper buckets of the second half. Kluntz scored before eighth grader Garrett Heldberg, up directly from junior high and the earlier C game, bagged a three, but the Crusaders kept pace, and the Clippers still were behind by six.

Thirty seconds later, Karels arced in a three. After Ternes made a free basket, Smith canned a shot from the floor for Clipper point 33.

Karels, Smith and Kluntz each had 10 points. Kortuem had nine points. Ternes and Johnson each added five points. Heldberg had three points.

The Clippers put in five threes and were seven of 16 from the foul line. The Crusaders also made five threes but was four of 13 in free throw shooting.

VS T/GHEC/ML

The Clippers were coming off a 54-51 home loss to Truman/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman the night before. They trailed 22-14 at the break.

Kortuem led the effort with 11 points, six of them from three-point range. Nathan Seeman had nine points, including one three. Karels had eight points, including one three. Kluntz put in four baskets for eight total points. Johnson had three points, and Nathan Brink and Kale Kelley each put in a basket.

Vs LCWM

The Friday before, the B Clippers fell hard, 64-20 to visiting Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial. The Clippers only managed five points in the first half: baskets by Karels and Johnson and a Kelley free throw. In the second half, Smith had three baskets for six points. Kortuem put in a three and a free throw, Karels dropped in a three, and Johnson made a two-point bucket.

The Clippers were two of eight from the foul line. LCWM put in five threes and seven of nine foul shots.

Vs Mankato Loyola

On January 30, the B boys lost 43-26 to host Mankato Loyola. Kelley had four baskets for eight points. Smith had a pair of threes and a two-point basket for eight points. Seeman had a three and a two for five points. Kluntz had three points, and Ternes added one point.

The Clippers put in three threes and were three of 10 from the foul line. The Crusaders made two threes and were three of six in free throw shooting.

Vs MCW

In Trimont vs Martin County West on January 29, the Clippers were up 20-19 at the break but fell 41-37.

With a dozen points, all from behind the arc, Kortuem led that effort. Karels had seven points, including one three. Tanner Simonette had four points. Kelley, Kluntz and Johnson each had three points. Seeman put in a three pointer. Smith had two points.

The Clippers totaled six threes and could have easily won the game from the foul line but were a abysmal three for 20 there. The Mavericks had two threes and were 11 of 13 in foul shooting.

Vs St. Clair

At home against the St. Clair on January 26, the Cyclones downed the Clippers 55-17.

Johnson had a pair of twos and a freebie for five points. Simonette, Karels, Seeman, Kortuem, Brink and Kluntz each had two points.

The Clippers made three of six free throw attempts. The Cyclones made seven threes and four of five foul shots.

Vs Alden Conger

In Alden on January 23, the Clippers lost 49-31.

With nine points, including a pair of threes, Karels led the effort. Seeman had two threes and eight total points. Kortuem had two threes and six total points. Kluntz had five points, and Smith added three points. The Clippers had six threes and were five of 10 in free throw shooting.

The Knights, who led 30-12 at the break, put in one three and one of six free throw attempts.

Vs T/GHEC/ML

In Truman on January 18, the Clippers trailed 22-20 at the break but lost 54-31.

Including the Clippers’ only three, Karels had eight points. Smith also scored eight points. Kortuem had seven points, Kluntz had four points, and Ternes and Johnson each added two points.

The Jaguars posted five threes and put in seven of 15 free throw attempts. The Clippers were eight of 17 from the foul line.

Vs Nicollet

The Clippers beat visiting Nicollet 47-26 on January 15. They were up 24-10 at the half.

Only playing in the second half, Smith had nine points. Ternes scored seven points. Kluntz and Simonette each had six points. Johnson and Seeman each scored five points. Karels had four points. Kortuem put in a three pointer. Brink put in a bucket in the second half.

With Seeman and Ternes also dropping in a three, the Clippers totaled three three-point baskets. They were six of nine from the foul line. The Raiders scored four threes and were six of 11 in free throw shooting.

The B Clippers rematch Nicollet tonight in Nicollet.