The season abruptly ended for the varsity girls on Monday when they lost to host Nicollet 63-46 in the first round of the section 2A tournament.
The fourth-seeded Raiders, who had beaten the 13-ranked Clippers 67-33 and 62-52 earlier in the season, took the jump ball in for a layup and were in front the rest of the 36 minutes. They put in three free shots after the Clippers crossed the boundary line and then ran in a layup for a 7-0 advantage before Mollie Bowman took a Kaitlyn Flowers assist inside for a basket.
Emma Kortuem's shot from a distance caromed off the rim, but the freshman ran in to get the rebound, put it back up for a basket and added an and-one too to pull the Clippers within a basket. The Raiders scored twice more and went on the steal to limit the Clipper offense.
After Kortuem scored from inside, the game morphed into a festival of threes, four off them by the Raiders and one each from Kortuem and Harper Rutz. Continuing to capitalize on steals and Clipper turnovers, Nicollet led 36-18 at the half.
The Clippers showed signs of life early in the second half. Bowman launched a basket from outside. Flowers grabbed her own free throw rebound and put it back up for a basket, and Taylor McCabe took a Kortuem assist inside for a bucket for a six-point spurt, but the Raiders equaled it.
Rutz plunged in a three, and Kortuem ran in a layup, but Nicollet matched that effort too.
Later, Brooke Bosse fought hard for an offensive rebound and put it back up for a basket and bagged a three. McCabe sparked a three too, but Nicollet kept on the steal to cruise to the victory.
With a dozen points, including one three, Kortuem led the effort. Rutz had a pair of threes and a basket from the floor for eight total points. McCabe, Flowers and Bosse each added six points. Bowman and Ava Kluntz each added four points.
The Clippers made five of a dozen threes (42 percent) 13 of 42 two-point attempts (31 percent) and five of 11 free throws (46 percent). Nicollet put in eight of 31 threes (26 percent), 18 of 49 two-point shots (37 percent) and three of seven foul shots (43 percent).
With 36 turnovers, thirty-seven percent of the Clipper possessions ended as a turnover. Nicollet turned the ball over 16 times. The Clippers stole 13 times, eight fewer than the Raiders.
The Clippers had 13 offensive and 37 defensive rebounds. Nicollet had 17 offensive and 23 defensive rebounds.
Flowers had nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. McCabe had three rebounds, and one steal. Olivia Reinhardt had one rebound. Kluntz had three rebounds and three steals. Rutz had five rebounds, five assists and one steal. Bosse had nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. Kortuem had eight rebounds, two assists and three steals. Bowman had three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Natalie Flowers had two rebounds and one steal.
The Clippers end their season with a 7-17 record, two wins more than a year ago. They were fifth in the seven-team Valley Conference. With an 11-1 record in the Valley, the Raiders were first.
Nicollet went on to upset fifth-seeded Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey at St. Peter High School on Thursday and will take on top-seeded Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s at GAC on Monday. On the other side of the bracket, second-ranked BOLD will take on third-seeded Cedar Mountain after SESM vs Nicollet.
It was the last time in a Clipper basketball uniform for seniors Bowman and Reinhardt.
Above: Emma Kortuem chases after a loose ball.
Kaitlyn Flowers eyes the basket.
Taylor McCabe breaks through a pair of defenders.
Harper Rutz races down court under pressure.
Brooke Bosse dribbles near the basket.
A Nicollet defender tries to corral Emma Kortuem.
Brooke Bosse takes the ball over the three-point line.