After falling in similar fashion to host Nicollet on January 20 and to visiting Mankato Loyola two days later, the varsity boys got back on the winning track with an easy 74-36 road win over Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons on Monday.
With the Braeden Smith-Carson Lyons duo teaming up for 23 points, the Clippers, who had beaten the Knights 79-40 earlier in the season, led 32-12 at the break.
By the end of the night, the Clipper bench cleared, and scorebook keeper Greg Davis penciled a number in the total points column for 10.
For Lyons, there were 20 points there and a 9 in the three-point basket column. Smith had 15 points, including one three. Bode Bartell, in his third game this season after a long recovery from an injury he sustained in football back on September 19, totaled 13 points, including one three. Gavin Struck and Mason Kluntz each contributed six points. Alex Kortuem put in a three as did Jack Anderson off the bench. Also off the bench, Garrett Heldberg had four points while Jack Mons and Tony Hollerich each chipped in a basket.
The Clippers totaled seven threes and made seven of 11 free throws while the Knights had one three and made five of 11 free throws.
Loyola 85, Cleveland 67
The Crusaders, who were coming off a 64-53 home loss to Madelia, was in front 38-29 at halftime
Smith led the effort with 24 points, including a trio of threes. The Crusaders held Lyons to 13 points. Miles Tomaszewski had nine points, including one three. Bartell had seven points, including one three. Kortuem and Heldberg each had five points, including one three. Mons and Kluntz each put in a basket.
The Clippers made four of 16 free shots. The Crusaders, who only topped the Clippers by five points earlier in the season, put in 10 threes, three more than the Clippers, and five of 15 free throws.
Nicollet 88, Cleveland 63
The Raiders, who beat the Clippers 81-56 back on December 5, scored the first six points. After a pair of Lyons baskets, Tomaszewski tossed in a three and then a two-point basket, and Smith ran in a layup for a brief Clipper lead. But other than another Tomaszewski three, the Raiders scored the next 16 points for a 25-14 advantage.
Later, Bartell put in a three for his first basket of the season, but the Raiders kept the pressure on to lead 41-26 at the break.
With a two and a three from Smith and a Lyons basket, the Clippers scored the first seven points of the second half, but the Raiders, pounding the ball inside, took over from there and extended their lead by 10 in the second half.
“They are a great team, but we came off a really great week last week, and I thought we’d bring that energy,” said head coach Mike Meyer. “We talked to the team a lot about being a great team every night and not just settling for those good moments. But that starts in practice, and yesterday we didn’t show up; we didn’t have a good practice. Shots weren’t falling, and they dropped their heads after that, frustrated with themselves.
But there are other ways to score, Meyer said.
“We can make offense happen through defense. We can look inside more. We can attack more, but the more they get frustrated the more they take shots that aren’t very good shots. It is working the ball around and finding a good shot every possession.
With 17 points, Lyons led the effort. Smith had 13 points. Tomaszewski had eight points as did Heldberg. Bartell finished the night with six points. Struck had four points, Mons had three points, and Kluntz and Luke Heldberg each had two points.
Tomaszewski put in a pair of threes while Lyons, Bartell, Smith and Struck each had one three. The Clippers made nine of 21 free throws. The Raiders made eight three-point baskets and 10 of 18 free throws.
Tonight (Thursday), the Clipper will have another shot at Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther. The Clippers fell to the host Jaguars 58-49 on December 16.
Above: Braeden Smith makes his way into the lane as Nicollet defenders move in.
Mason Kluntz shuffles along the Nicollet baseline.
A positive for the Clippers at Nicollet was senior Bode Bartell was on the court for the first time this season.
Carson Lyons unleashes a jump shot as Nicollet’s Carson Kettner reaches out for a block.