A knee injury ended St. Clair junior scoring leader Kayli Hinze’s season earlier in the week but her eighth-grader sister Brooklin stepped up with 27 points as the Cyclones downed the host Clippers 56-43 on Thursday.
With a 13-1 record, the Cyclones are the Valley Conference champs. Their only loss was Nicollet. Earlier in the season, they edged the visiting Clippers 63-60.
It was the last home game for seniors Emily Kern and Emma Treanor (above), who were honored before the game on Senior Night. Seventh seeded in the subsection, the Clippers take on second-ranked Central Minnesota Christian in Prinsburg tomorrow (Tuesday, March 1).
The Clippers did a good job getting the ball inside when they wanted to, but their shots didn’t fall all that well.
“The first half a lot came out and free throws too,” said head coach Joe Remiger. “We can play well eight or 10 minutes, and I don’t know if we get a little gassed, but then we kind of struggle and just couldn’t fight back.”
Kern hauled down an offensive rebound and scored for the game’s first basket. After a St. Clair layup, Kern took a Sarena Remiger pass in for the score, Ava Hahn popped in a three from the corner, and Kaylee Karels hooked in a shot from the paint for a 9-2 Clipper advantage.
The Cyclones hit a couple of threes, but Greta Hahn, not to be outdone by her sister, airmailed a three from the top of the arc to put the Clippers up front 15-8.
Greta Hahn made the next Clipper basket too, and Kern added a free throw, but St. Clair hit a three to pull ahead 19-18 with 4:33 left in the half.
St. Clair scored again, but the Clippers got the lead back after a pair of Kern buckets. St. Clair added another three, but Kern grabbed a rebound after a missed free throw and scored. The Clippers trailed 26-24 at the half.
After a pair of St. Clair foul baskets, Karels made a free throw for the first Clipper basket of the second half. But the Cyclones extended their lead with two more free throws and a three before Kern popped in a jumper from the baseline and Karels put in another hook shot.
It didn’t help the Clippers that Remiger picked up her fourth foul just three and a half minutes into the half.
“But they had fouls too,” coach Remiger said.
Lacey McCabe drove the baseline for a basket, but the Cyclones hit a a pair of fouls hots tand a three to extend their lead, 41-34. With about seven and a half minutes left, they went into the delay and made enough free throws after that to hang on to the triumph
Kern led the effort with 18 points. Karels had a dozen points. Greta Hahn had five points. Ava Hahn and Lacey McCabe each had three points. Remiger had two points.
The Clippers posted a pair of threes, one per Hahn. They made seven of 23 foul shots. St. Clair put in seven shots from behind the arc and were 19 of 27 in free-throw shooting.
“It was a good night effortwise,” Remiger said, “so how can you complain. They did everything we asked. I’m super proud of Emily and Emma. It’s sad they are moving on, but we have another game with them.”
Emma Treanor sets up for a shot.
Greta Hahn takes the ball across the half-court line.
Lacey McCabe looks for an open teammate.
Ava Hahn guides the ball down court.
Emily Kern works her way inside.
Kaylee Karels dribbles under pressure.