Cleveland varsity vs host Mankato Loyola wasn’t the most well-played game, but the Clippers, who suffered through turnovers and forced too many ineffective shots, held off a second-half Crusader onslaught to come out on top, 45-38.
Head coach Myrriah Rutz said the typical energy in the Loyola gym was high, and her Clippers were spooked by it.
“They got a little flustered, but we played tough and stuck to our main plan and ultimately got the win, and we’ll work on more tomorrow.”
Mollie Bowman put in a layup for the game’s first basket. Emma Kortuem (above) drove the paint for the first two of her 21 points, Brooke Bosse scored, and Kortuem pulled down a defensive rebound and sprinted from coast to coast for a layup that put the Clippers in front 8-0.
The 0-4 Crusaders, who were coming off a 60-52 home loss to Alden-Conger/Glenville Emmons followed by a 68-46 road loss to GHEC/T/ML on Monday, posted the next four points, but Harper Rutz got into the action with a basket, and, after a foul behind the arc, Kortuem dropped in three free shots. With a Rutz outside jumper, the Clippers led 15-4.
The Crusaders, who did a good job limiting Taylor McCabe to a basket and two free throws in the first half, scored eight of next 10 points, but their eventual top scorer took a chair with three fouls.
It was mostly Kortuem the rest of the half with a three, a jumper from the paint, two drives to the hoop and a pair of free buckets for a 30-14 Clipper lead.
Right out of the locker room, the Crusaders started working their way back with three-straight baskets. Bowman broke the run with a two, but the Crusaders, with their top scorer back on the floor, kept chipping away to trim their deficit to four, 37-33 and then 39-35 with 2:21 remaining.
“We tried to take it to her and get her a fourth foul, but it didn’t go our way,” Rutz said. “She moved really well, so we had to adjust, but defensively, we played really well.”
Kortuem took a long Rutz pass in for a bucket, but the Crusaders scored inside and made the ensuing free throw to pull within three, 41-38. But they didn’t score again, and the Clippers made four free throws to put the finishing touches on the triumph.
“At the end of the day, we got the win,” Rutz said. “It’s a young group yet, so there’s lots to learn.”
Kortuem sunk six two-point baskets, six of seven free shots and the game’s only three pointer to lead all players. Taylor McCabe and Rutz each added eight points. Bowman put in a bucket in each half for four points. Bosse contributed three points. Kaitlyn Flowers chipped in a free throw.
The Clippers were 14 of 26 from the foul line. The Crusaders made eight of 11 foul shots.
The 2-1 varsity Clippers return to action on Tuesday when they host Madelia. The 0-4 Blackhawks have struggled in losses to MVL, GFW, Nicolle and BLHS.
Elsewhere in the Valley, Nicollet beat host Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 60-48 on Monday.
Harper Rutz sets up for a shot after finding her way to the goal.