Although they maintained a lead for the first seven minutes, the Clipper varsity boys ultimately fell under the mercy clock to host Loyola 86-31 on Thursday.
Leading the Valley Conference, the Crusaders are 6-0.
“We came out playing as well as we ever have, but we just didn’t have the bench to maintain,” said head coach Mike Meyer.
On an in-bounds play, Carter Barto grabbed his rebound and put it back up for the game’s first bucket before assisting Kale Kelley on a drive for two more Clipper points. After Kelley fed Blake Lyons (on the jumper above) for a layup, the Clippers were suddenly up 6-0.
The Crusaders scored twice, but Kelley took a long pass and put it up from behind the backboard and in for an 8-4 Clipper advantage.
The Crusaders scored again, but Gabe Sullivan hooked in a basket, and Lyons stole and drove from shore to shore for a layup. After Barto put in a free shot, the Clippers were up 13-8 with 12 minutes to go in the half.
But after Loyola drove inside for a basket and then popped in a three, it was all even at 13. With a steal and another three, they went up 16-13.
It was a lead the Crusaders would never relinquish.
Barto grabbed an offensive rebound and scored, and Sullivan took a Kyle Connor handoff in for a layup, but, in front 20-17, the Crusaders—who brought five players in off the bench in the first half compared to two (Nathan Strobel and Jorden Rossow) for the Clippers—binged for the next 19 points before Sullivan assisted Barto for a basket inside.
Sullivan rebounded and scored, and Connor put in a free shot after that, but the Crusaders were up comfortably 50-22 at the intermission.
A Kelley three was the highlight for the Clippers in the second half. Lyons put in a couple of baskets, and Sullivan added one, but that was all the scoring the Clippers could muster, and the Crusaders pounded the ball inside for the decisive win.
No Clipper hit double figures. Lyons and Sullivan each contributed eight points. Kelley added seven points, including the Clippers’ only three. Barto was limited to five points. Connor chipped in three points.
The Clippers were two of 10 from the charity stripe. Loyola dropped in seven threes and was five for eight from the foul line.
Sleepy Eye comes to town for a make-up game on Monday.
Kale Kelley takes the ball inside.
Kyle Connor hangs on to the ball while Blake Lyons comes in to help.
Carter Barto dribbles through traffic.
Gabe Sullivan passes from the floor.
Jersie Kelley waits in anticipation as her brother Kale’s three-point shot went up…
...and cheers after it fell through the net. She is flanked by classmates Henry Strobel, Harley Connor and Emma Sweere.