Outscored by 44-27 in the first half, the varsity boys turned the table in the second half against host Sibley East on Friday, besting the Wolverines by 10 points and pulling within four with 10 seconds left.
But time ran out on the comeback, and the Clippers, who had avenged an earlier-season loss to Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 24 hours earlier, fell 77-70.
Braeden Smith dropped in a free throw, Garrett Heldberg took an offensive rebound up for a basket, and Smith weaved through the lane for a bucket after the break, but the Wolverines extended their lead with a trio of buckets from behind the arc.
But starting with a Jack Mons basket from the baseline after a Carson Lyons steal, the Clippers began chipping away at their deficit with a 10-point surge.
Following up with his first basket of the night, Miles Tomaszewski bagged a three. Lyons made it back-to-back Clipper threes, and Mason Kluntz scored from near the rim.
The Wolverines ran down the baseline for a bucket, but midway through the half, with another Tomaszewski basket from three-point range, the Clippers trimmed their shortfall to a dozen points, 57-45.
The Wolverines posted the next five points, but Bode Bartell parked the first of four threes he would make in the second half. With the Clippers zipping the ball around, Mons assisted a Lyons layup, but the Wolverines put in a two and a three. Playing with four fouls, Smith made a free throw, and Bartell canned another three.
Sibley only scored on free throws the rest of the way. After they put in two, Alex Kortuem bagged a three as did Bartell. Smith made a layup but fouled out soon after. With 46 seconds left and the Clippers still behind 73-62, Bartell hit another three.
With Gavin Struck rotating in and out as the heavy, the Wolverines went to the line and made a free throw. Lyons followed up with a two-pointer from outside to pull the Clippers within four with 10.3 seconds left, but the Wolverines made three of four free throws from there to seal the victory.
Bartell led the Clipper effort with five threes, a two-point basket and a free throw for 18 points,. Lyons added 15 points, including one three. Kortuem made two threes in the first half and one in the second for nine points. Smith also had nine points. Heldberg contributed six points. Tomaszewski made two second-half threes for six total points. Mons had put in a two and a three in the second half for five points. Mason Kluntz made a second-half basket.
In seven trips to the foul line, the Clippers were six of 14. Sibley East put in 11 threes, one less than the Clippers, and, with 15 times on the foul line, were 16 of 24.
Cleveland 65, GHEC/T/ML 61
Bartell took a long Lyons assist in for the game’s first basket. Cashing in a Clipper steal, Smith slammed a dunk for a 4-0 start.
The Jaguars put in the net two baskets and, with the Clippers off target, kept up the rest of the half. On a three pointer, the Jags deadlocked the score as the half drew to a close, but Heldberg took a Lyons pass in for a bucket and a 26-24 Clipper lead at the break.
“That was a rough first half offensively,” said head coach Mike Meyer. “We played great, but we just couldn’t get a shot to fall. That’s kind of been the theme the last couple of weeks for us. We had a couple of guys who got on little heaters there, little spurts, but really that first half you have to credit our effort plays, our rebounding.”
Lyons ran in a layup for the first basket of the second half before Heldberg scored the next eight points.
The Jags wouldn’t go away though. With three and a half minutes remaining and the Clippers in front by five, Kluntz took a Lyons assist in for a bucket, but the Jaguars ran in a fancy layup and followed up with a steal and basket to trim their difference to three.
From there, Smith put in the first of two foul shots, but with 48 seconds remaining, the Jags made a jump shot to pull within a basket. But Lyons drove for a bucket, was fouled going up and put in the free throw after.
The Jaguars did the same though, but the Clippers made five of six free throws down the stretch. The Jags closed with a three, but it wasn’t enough, and the Clippers held on for the triumph.
When the Clippers took on the Jags in Granada back on December 16, Clippers were ahead by a dozen at the half but were outscored by 21 points in the second half. In this game, they put two halves together, Meyer said.
“If we can find ways to win when we are shooting that poorly, we’re going to be a good team. That’s been our message to them all year. Those two games last week, Nicollet and Loyola, we shot poorly, and we started hanging our heads just because our shots weren’t dropping. Tonight we didn’t do that. We continued to grind, continued to fight, make the effort plays, do the right thing on defense, and I thought we put together a really good game.”
With five two-point baskets and four free shots, Lyons totaled 14 points. Tomaszewski made a trio of threes and a pair of two-point baskets for 13 points. Heldberg contributed 10 points. Bartell had eight points. Kortuem put in a pair of threes for six total points. Smith put in a three and totaled six points. Mons had six points. Kluntz made a two-point basket.
“Braeden…Garrett had a great game, probably one of his better games, those effort plays you get from Carson every night,” Meyer said. “It’s great to have Bode back. He’s another great ball handler who loves to play. Miles loves to play. Every guy on this team contributed tonight, and it really showed.”
The Clippers made 11 of 17 free throws. The Jaguars made nine threes, three more than the Clippers, and eight of nine foul shots.
The Clippers made 18 of 44 two-point attempts (41 percent) and six of 32 shots from three-point country (19 percent). The Jags made 13 of 30 two-point shots and nine of 23 threes.
Lyons had nine rebounds, six assists and six steals. Smith had 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Bartell had five rebounds and three steals. Kluntz had six rebounds, one assist and three steals. Tomaszewski had four rebounds, one assist and two steals. Mons had two rebounds and three assists. Kortuem had one rebound and one assist. Heldberg had five rebounds, one assist and two steals.
“Eli Jensen (28 points) is a heck of a player,” Meyer said. “Carson had a tough assignment tonight, but I though he did really well. We made some adjustments and slowed him down in the second half a little bit, but it was an all-around good game for us. We needed that win. It came tough, but we played really good defense most of the night.”
The Clippers turned the ball over 16 times, 10 fewer than the Jags. The Jags made 10 steals.
On Monday, in an opportunity to avenge last year’s season-ending loss, the Clippers traveled to 5-12 Lester Prairie but fell 85-56. They return to action on Friday when they host Martin County West.
Above: Bode Bartell led the Clipper offense at Sibley East.
Braeden Smith makes his way to the hoop during the game against GHEC/T/ML.
Mason Kluntz races toward a loose ball at home against GHEC/T/ML.
Alex Kortuem brings the ball down court in Arlington.
The student section during the game against Sibley East seemed to spark the Clippers.
Carson Lyons cuts inside a Sibley East defender.
As the Clippers were closing the gap late in the game against Sibley East, Gavin Struck went in and out of the game to foul if necessary as the Clippers tried to regain possession.
It was America night for Snow Week at the game against GHEC/T/ML. On the flute is Joanna Jordan.
Elijah Mons on the bass guitar before the game against GHEC/T/ML.
The pep band.