Win three for the Clipper girls was an easy one: 65-22 over visiting Madelia on Tuesday.
Emma Kortuem took a Taylor McCabe steal and assist in for a layup with an and-one tacked on for the game’s first points. Kortuem stole and drove for layups twice before the Blackhawks got on the board with a three.
Kortuem pulled down her own rebound and scored, and McCabe made a pair of free throws. With an inside basket, Harper Rutz got into the action, and McCabe buried a three. Madelia put in another three, but with a Rutz jumper, the Clippers were in front 18-6.
Later, Mollie Bowman made three free throws, scored inside on a Rutz assist and pulled down an offensive rebound and scored. Brooke Bosse added a couple of buckets in the half, and after another Kortuem steal and layup, the Clippers had a cozy 44-13 lead at the break.
In the second half, the Clippers outscored Madelia 21-9. McCabe rolled for 11 points, Rutz dropped in a two and a three, Kortuem scored twice more, and Kaitlyn Flowers got into the book for the first time this season with a free shot.
McCabe led all scorers with 22 points, six of them coming from behind the arc. With eight baskets from the floor and a free bucket, Kortuem totaled 17 points. Rutz put in three two point baskets, two three-point baskets and two free shots for 14 points. Bowman ended the night with 7 points. Bosse had four points. Flowers chipped in a point.
The Clippers were nine of 17 from the foul line. Madelia made four two-point baskets, three threes and five of 11 free shots.
Bowman hauled in five defensive rebounds and six offensive rebounds. McCabe grabbed 10 rebounds. Flowers pulled in seven rebounds. Rutz had four rebounds. Bosse had six rebounds. Ava Kluntz had three rebounds. Taylor Wolf had one rebound. As a team, Madelia totaled 16 rebounds, four offensive.
The Clippers turned the ball over 10 times, a dozen fewer than Madelia.
The Clippers hit the road tonight (Friday) for a Valley Conference showdown in Nicollet. In the Valley, the overall 4-3 Raiders beat host Alden-Conger/Glenville Emmons 60-48, topped visiting Madelia 70-22 and lost on the road to Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 67-47.
Above: A Nicollet defender attempts a steal from Harper Rutz.
Taylor Wolf releases a jump shot.
Kaitlyn Flowers runs the ball down court.