Coming back from a 9-point deficit in the first half, the B Clippers tied host Nicollet early in the second half, went on a 8-point run from there and then hung for a 31-29 triumph.
The Friday win gets the Clippers on the victory track after an 0-3 start.
Valentina Rohlfing ran the jump ball in for a layup to power up the scoreboard. The Raiders responded with a basket, but Rohlfing stole and drove from coast to coast for a layup (above) and a 4-2 Clipper advantage.
The next 10 points went to the Raiders though, six of them after steals, and it looked like it would be loss number four for the Clippers. Ava Kluntz put in a free throw to break the run, but the Raiders scored inside to extend their lead, 14-5.
But, starting with another Rohlfing steal and drive for a bucket, the Clippers posted 10 of the next 13 points. Hadley Thompson followed with a steal and layup. The Raiders pulled down an offensive rebound and put it back up for a bucket, but Rohlfing found Kluntz under the rim for an assist.
Continuing the orange & black surge, Gretchen Heldberg scored inside, and with a Taylor Wolf basket from the corner on a Kluntz assist, the Clippers were back in business, only trailing by one, 16-15. The Raiders put in a free throw to close out of the half, and the Clippers went into the locker room trailing by a basket.
Nicollet picked of a Cleveland inbound pass and put it in for the first bucket after the break. Wolf scored inside, but the Raiders put in two foul baskets to lead 21-17.
Up from junior high, Natalie Flowers bagged a jumper from the paint, and with a Wolf basket on a Rohlfing steal and assist, the game deadlocked at 21.
Nicollet scored next, but Wolf rebounded and scored, Flowers ran in a layup, and Thompson scored inside. Rohlfing snuck another toss inside, this time to Thompson, who came through with a basket to put the Clippers in front 29-23.
The Raiders put in an outside shot, and, after Thompson scored on a layup, went to the line three times, where they made four of six shots to pull within a basket, 31-29.
The Clippers turned the ball over on a pass that trickled out of bounds, and with 12. 4 seconds left, the Raiders were poised for a tie.
But twice Cecelia Gair knocked the ball out of bounds on Nicollet’s inbounds passes to drain a second or two before Heldberg came up with a huge steal, and the Clippers hung on for the triumph.
Thompson and Wolf each put in four baskets for eight points. Rohlfing added three baskets for six points. Flowers scored four points off the bench. Kluntz had three points before she left the game at halftime. Heldberg chipped in a basket.
The Clippers made one of six foul shots while the Raiders were seven of 10 from the charity stripe. Neither team made a basket from behind the arc.
The B Clippers will look for their second win when they travel to Granada tomorrow (Tuesday).
Hadley Thompson races the ball down court.
Gretchen Heldberg reaches to gain control of a runaway ball.
Ava Kluntz absorbs a Raider nudge as she readies for a shot.