A five-games-in-eight-days non-conference road trip came to an end for the varsity girls on Friday when they fell 69-61 to Sibley East in Arlington. A day earlier, they lost in Alden to Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons.
The Clippers pulled within a basket late in the game but couldn’t take the lead. Taylor McCabe, who typically stuffs the scorebook with double digits, missed the game due to illness.
“The rest of the girls stepped up,” said head coach Myrriah Rutz. “We asked them to put in a lot tonight on a fifth game in seven games, and they brought it. They were locked in, and they focused. Every day they get better and better.”
With an Emma Kortuem three, a Harper Rutz drive for a basket and a Mollie Bowman rebound and basket with an and-one tacked on, the Clippers went up early, 8-5, but the Wolverines sunk a three, drove for a basket, and put in a free throw to lead 11-8.
Rutz put in a freebie and bagged a three for a brief Clipper lead, but the Wolverines started to break away from there, despite a couple of Kortuem drives for buckets, a Rutz three and an Olivia Reinhardt basket from a distance. They trailed 35-27 at the break.
The Wolverines came out of the gate to start the second half with a three, but, with a balanced attack, the Clippers outscored them 19-11 from there to cut their deficit to three at the 8:30 mark.
“I’ve really been impressed with our defense lately,” Rutz said. “We seem to be figuring it out and adding a new layer to it.”
Twenty seconds later, Rutz ran in a layup, and the Clippers were only behind by a point, 49-48, but they lost a couple passes out of bounds, and the Wolverines scored the next four points before Kortuem bagged a three.
Rutz canned a three as well to put the Clippers back within a basket, 56-54. Sibley East scored the next four points, but Rutz hit a jumper and then stole and ran in a layup that put the Clippers back within a basket, 60-58.
But the Wolverines, who were on target all night and cleaned up the glass as well, scored twice inside from there. Kaitlyn Flowers drove the baseline for a bucket, but Sibley East put in a jump shot and a free throw to extend their lead before making a pair of free shots to put the finishing touches on the triumph.
With 26 points, including a hat trick of threes, Rutz led all scorers. Kortuem added 16 points, nine of them from three-point range. Bowman totaled eight points. Flowers had seven points, and Ava Kluntz and Reinhardt each chipped in a basket.
“I was really proud of Harper and Emma picking up their shooting game,” Rutz said. “Tonight the inside-out game worked pretty well for us, so I appreciate the post understanding that as well. We had a lot of drive and kickouts.”
The Clippers were nine of 19 from the charity line. Sibley East put in four threes, two fewer than the Clippers, and 23 of 30 foul shots.
Kluntz pulled down 10 rebounds. Bowman grabbed seven. Brooke Bosse and Kortuem had five boards while Kortuem had five, Rutz had four, and McCabe had three. The Knights totaled 47 rebounds.
The Clippers turned the ball over a dozen times but had 22 steals.
Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 74, Cleveland 67
Trailing by three, after baskets by Kortuem, Flowers and Rutz as well as a pair of McCabe free shots for an eight-point spurt, the Clippers pulled within three with 3:39 left in the half.
But the Knights surged for 13 points after. Down the stretch, McCabe sunk a three, and Kluntz made an interior basket, but the Clippers trailed 40-29 at the intermission.
With threes by Kortuem and McCabe in the mix, Clippers scored eight of the first 11 points in the second half, but the Knights buried a trio of threes to lead 56-42. With 4:47 left, the Clippers managed to pull within seven, 66-59, but that was as close as they could get, and that ended up the difference.
“It seemed like an uphill battle the entire night from tipoff,” Rutz said, “but the girls fought so hard an never gave up. Those girls are really tall and really strong, but we found ways around it. But I was really proud of our girls. We played a complete game from start to finish.”
Battling illness, McCabe still racked up 28 points, including a pair of threes and six free throws. Rutz had 13 points, including one three. Kortuem had 11 points, including one three. Bowman put in three buckets from the floor for six points. Flowers made two first-half buckets for four total points. Kluntz chipped in a basket in the first half.
The Clippers made 19 of 28 foul shots. The Knights out in seven threes, three more than the Clippers and were 15 of 19 from the foul line. The Knights’ two seniors racked up 49 points between them.
“Regardless of a win or a loss, we continue to lock in on learning,” coach Rutz said. “We continue to play team ball and help each other.”
The Clippers are hoping to find there’s no place like home tonight (Tuesday) when they take on Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther. With wins over Loyola, Nicollet, Madelia as well as the Clippers 76-53, the Jaguars, coached by Rutz’s brother, are 4-0 in the Valley Conference.
Above: Harper Rutz runs in a layup during the game against Sibley East.
Kaitlyn Flowers takes the ball around a Sibley East defender.
Taylor McCabe stretches for a shot on the Alden court.
Emma Kortuem drives to the basket during the game in Alden.
Brooke Bosse makes her way down the baseline during the game in Alden.
Mollie Bowman releases a shot during the game in Alden.