Back in mid-December, the B girls only beat Nicollet on the road by two points and had to come back to do it, but Tuesday’s rematch was all host Clippers in a 45-22 victory.
Ava Kluntz took a Taylor Wolf assist in for the game’s first basket, and the Clippers never lost the lead from there. After the Raiders dropped in a free throw, Kluntz and Valentina Rohlfing each rebounded and scored.
With her team in front 6-4, Gretchen Heldberg cashed in on a Natalie Flowers pass to start an 11-point surge. Flowers followed up with a layup, Heldberg rebounded and scored and then took another Flowers throw up and in from the baseline. Rohlfing plunged in a three to put an exclamation mark on the run.
The Raiders responded with a couple of buckets from the floor, including a three, but Rohlfing drove for two baskets, Hadley Thompson sunk a basket from the far corner, Kluntz scored on an inbounds pass, and Flowers put in a pair of gratuity shots for a 27-11 Clipper advantage.
The last two buckets of the half went to the Raiders, but the Clippers led 27-15 at the break.
The Raiders made the first basket of the second half, but Wolf popped in a free throw, Rohlfing bagged another three, and Flowers stole and ran the floor for a layup to pad the Clipper lead.
The Raiders scored on an inbounds pass and ran in a layup after but only managed a free throw from there. Meanwhile, Cecelia Gair scored from inside, Heldberg took a Rohlfing assist in for a bucket, Rohlfing sunk a shot from a distance and she and Flowers stole and drove for layups.
Allie Anderson made her way down the baseline for a basket to put the finishing touches on the triumph
With 14 points, six of them scored from three-point range, Rohlfing led the Clippers. Flowers put in four buckets and two free throws for 10 points. Heldberg added eight points. Ava Kluntz contributed six points before she left the game at the break. Gair, Thompson and Anderson all tossed in a basket. Wolf made a freebie.
The Clippers made three of four foul shots. The Raiders dropped in one three and three of 10 free throws.
The B girls have a chance to avenge an earlier season loss when they host Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons tomorrow (Monday).
Above: Allie Anderson cruises through the lane.
Ava Kluntz sets a screen for Valentina Rohlfing.
Hadley Thompson mixes it up with a Nicollet defender.
Gretchen Heldberg coils for a shot from under the iron.
Taylor Wolf draws a foul on her way to the hoop.
Cecelia Gair protects the ball from a Nicollet defender.