Finishing the regular season with a 76-65 road loss to Waterville-Elysian-Morristown last Thursday followed by a 74-64 loss to visiting Le Sueur-Henderson on Monday, the varsity Clippers, ranked ninth in the Section 2A North, start post-season play tonight (Friday) when they head to New Ulm to take on eighth-seeded Cathedral.
As back on December 19, the Clippers fell to the visiting Greyhounds 71-53, it will be an opportunity to see who has improved the most since then.
Dumping the ball inside, the Giants led 39-27 at the break.
“They had a pretty good system where they were penetrating, and they would dump down low. We have to do a lot better job of stopping that,” said head coach Mike Meyer.
The Giants shut out Brennan Kortuem in the first half, but he came alive for 18 points in the second, and the Clippers made a valiant effort to get back in the game.
With the Clippers behind 60-44, Kortuem bagged a three from the corner. The Giants responded with a basket near the net, but Kortuem drove twice to the rim for buckets, and Blake Lyons put in a basket and made the ensuing free throw.
Extending the run to 10 points, Kortuem canned another three, and the Clippers were back in business, only behind by five, 62-57.
The Giants made a free throw and a basket, and Carter Barto got called for an offensive foul away from the ball and exited the game with five infractions at the 4:10 mark.
Carson Lyons buried a three, and the Clippers were again within five points, but the Giants put in a free throw and a two to extend their lead.
Blake Lyons’ jumper went through the net, but at the 1:15 mark, the Clippers missed a three that would have put them within a possession, and the Giants made their free throws to hang on.
“We fought our way back,” Meyer said. “Le Sueur is a good team, but our on-ball defense was not where I wanted it to be at this time of the season. On offense, sometimes we rely too heavily on our three, but we definitely have a good inside game. We have guys who can penetrate well. Our bigs do well down low, so we have to work that in a little better, and our defense needs to be a little more aggressive.”
Carson Lyons had 16 points, including a hat trick of threes. Blake Lyons scored 14 points. The Giants limited Carter Barto to two first-half free baskets. Kale Kelley made a three, a two and a free shot in the first half for six points. Jorden Rossow had two baskets in the first half and four total points. Kyle Connor and Bode Bartell each had a first-half basket for two total points.
Carson Lyons had seven rebounds, four assists and six steals. Kortuem had three rebounds and one assist. Barto had nine rebounds, two blocks and a pair of assists. Rossow had three rebounds, four assists and one steal. Blake Lyons had two rebounds, four assists and three steals. Bartell grabbed three rebounds. Connor had one rebound, and Kelley had four rebounds.
In Waterville, the Clippers trailed 36-30 at the half. Barto turned on the scoreboard with the first of a trio of two-point baskets he would have in the half. Blake Lyons also scored three inside baskets in the first half. Kortuem sunk a pair of threes, and Bartell and Rossow each bagged one three.
Carson Lyons put in a pair of threes in the second half, a two and six free shots. Bartell added another three, but the Clippers couldn’t narrow their deficit.
Kortuem finished the night with 17 points, one more point than Carson Lyons. They both put in a pair of threes. Blake Lyons totaled a dozen points. Barto had nine points. Bartell put in a pair of threes for six total points. Jorden Rossow had one three, and Connor put in a bucket in the second half.
Carson Lyons hauled in 13 rebounds, assisted two Clipper basket and stole once. He made eight of nine free shots. Also with a double-double, brother Blake snared 10 rebounds, made three assists, one steal and three blocks and was four for five from the foul line.
Kortuem had one rebound, three assists and one steal and was successful in seven of eight free shots. Barto pulled down a dozen rebounds, had one assist and two steals. Rossow had four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Bartell had one rebound, two assists and two steals. Connor had two rebounds, one assist and one block.
The Clippers totaled seven threes and were on target at the foul line, only missing six of 26. The Bucs had two more threes than the Clippers and were 13 of 17 in free throw shooting.
Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s is tops in the North subsection. Sleepy Eye public is second, BOLD is third, and Lester Prairie, a team the Clippers came close to beating, is fourth.
In the South, Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey is ranked first, Springfield is second, USC is third, Mankato Loyola is fourth, and T/GHEC/ML is fifth. Alden-Conger is sixth, Madelia is seventh, Martin County West is eighth and Nicollet is ninth.
With an 8-8 record in the Valley, a big leap from a year ago, the Clippers took a respectable fourth place behind winner LCWM, second-place St. Clair and third-place Loyola. T/GHEC/ML and Madelia were also 8-8.
Above: Carter Barto goes up in the lane as an LSH defender reaches out for a stop.
Jordan Rossow dribbles near the student section during the game vs LSH.
Carson Lyons extends for a shot.
Kale Kelley takes the ball into the shooting lane.
With 18 points, Brennan Kortuem rallied the Clippers in the second half of the LSH game.
Blake Lyons put in a jumper down the stretch.
Carson Lyons on the jump shot.
The Clippers wore their Coaches vs. Cancer warmups.
Refereeing the game were Injae Kim, Bruce Winter and René Mais. Combined, they have over 60 years of basketball officiating experience.
Watching the game from the floor were seventh graders Mattea Grandaw, Allie Anderson, Paisley Janssen, Bristol Davis and Amelia Baker.
The junior high pep band gave a rousing performance before the game.
Junior high pep band.
Seventh grader August Keltgen will be included in the pedigree of talented Cleveland trumpet players.
Members of the junior high pep band trombone section: Miles Tomaszewski, Adam Rain, Richard Jordan and Luke Heldberg.
Junior high pep band trumpeters Graham Reinhardt and Brayden Seeman
“Hooray for us!” The junior high pep band concluded the school song with an explosion of confetti.
The varsity team during the Star-Spangled Banner.