With rising action, plot twists and a denouement that only came after a trio of missed Cyclone free throws and an ensuing heave down court to drain the fraction of a second remaining, Cleveland 52, St. Clair 49 in Valley Conference girls basketball on Tuesday followed a script that Hollywood could have written.
And the Cyclones’ winning streak over the Clippers, which had lasted at least since the turn of the 21st century, was finally over.
“Knowing we haven’t beaten them in quite a few years and knowing we were able to beat them made the difference,” said Kaylee Karels, who led the visiting Clippers with 13 points. “It was a huge win in our conference too. We moved the ball well on offense, and our defense was amazing. We needed to do better on rebounding, and a lot of our shots weren’t falling, but we stepped up in the second half.”
Following a seesaw 30 minutes, Karels was tagged with a charge for her fourth foul. But Lacey McCabe, the Clippers’ only player to take the stage off the bench, scored twice on drives for a 48-43 Clipper advantage with 3:42 remaining.
Battling for an offensive rebound with just under three minutes left, the refs issued Karels a red card, and the Cyclones made both ensuing foul shots, went to the line again, missed both free shots but hauled in the rebound after the second and scored to go in front 49-48.
It was hard for Karels to watch the game from the sidelines, but she had confidence in her teammates.
“I knew I needed to support my team no matter what, and I knew we weren’t going to give up because we fought the whole game, and we really wanted this win.”
And the Clippers didn’t raise a white flag. With ice water flowing through her veins at the 1:20 mark, Ava Hahn set up in the corner and sunk a three. The Clippers tied up the ball after to regain possession, and McCabe made the second of two free shots with 34 ticks on the clock to put the Clippers in front 52-49.
The Cyclones are always toxic from behind the arc, but their attempt from downtown caromed off the rim. Sarena Remiger went to the line with 9.4 seconds left but missed, giving St. Clair another chance.
The Cyclones put up a desperation three just in front of the buzzer, and Greta Hahn got charged with a foul, sending St. Clair to the line for yet another opportunity for a tie with 0.3 seconds remaining.
But the first free shot ricocheted off the rim. The second one did too. The third one smashed off the backboard, and the Clippers chucked the in-bounds ball down court to run out the clock and hang on for the victory.
“We all worked together as a team and kept fighting,” said Remiger, who, along with her 11 points, pulled down 11 offensive rebounds and 15 defensive rebounds and had three blocks and two steals. “It didn’t matter how many we were down by or how many we were up by, we just kept fighting. It was definitely a team effort. If you look at our scorebook, Kaylee is usually the high sorcerer, but we’re all doing our jobs well and getting it done.”
Ava Hahn sunk an outside jumper for the game’s first basket.
“I don’t know if it set the tone because we struggled with shots after that, but every basket made the difference” said head coach Joe Remiger. “They were going to take Kaylee away by putting their best defender on her, and we knew that.”
The Cyclones responded with a two and a three, but with free throws, a Greta Hahn steal and assist to Karels, and a Remiger basket inside after a Greta Hahn steal, the Clippers were up 13-9.
The Cyclones, who beat the host Clippers 58-43 back on December 2, came back with the next dozen points, but the Clippers made a run of their own with a McCabe steal and coast-to-coast drive for a layup and six free baskets to deadlock the game at 21.
In a six-point spurt, St. Clair hauled in an offensive rebound and scored, put in another bucket after Cleveland turned the ball over out of bounds and then intercepted right after the Clippers’ in-bound pass and quickly scored again.
“St. Clair can really move the ball,” said coach Remiger, “but our girls, rather than chasing, did a good job getting to spots.”
The Clippers went into the break on an uptick after Ava Hahn, bookending the half, grabbed Remiger’s missed free shot and put in a buzzer beater to pull her team within four, 27-23 going into the second act.
On a sis assist, Ava Hahn posted the first basket of the second half too with her shot from the baseline. Remiger grabbed an offensive rebound and put in the first of two ensuing foul shots, and the Clippers scored twice after a couple of Mariah McCabe steals, the first when Karels put an inbound pass up and in and the second when Karels buried a three.
After Karels assisted a Remiger layup, the Clippers were suddenly in front 33-28
From there, St. Clair hit a three, but Ava Hahn stole and drove from end to end for a layup. St Clair responded with a three and then made a basket from the floor and a pair of free shots pull ahead by three, but Greta Hahn canned a three, and the score was all even at 38.
Lacey McCabe made the second of two foul shots and then rebounded and scored to put her team out front 41-40. St. Clair hit a three, but Karels made a free throw, and Remiger rebounded and scored for a 44-43 Orange & Black advantage before Karels got in foul trouble.
Ava Hahn totaled a dozen points. Greta Hahn had five points. Lacey McCabe scored 11 points.
“She’s playing better ball,” Remiger said about Lacey McCabe. “Her defense....offensively things are starting to flow.”
Each of the Hahn sisters plopped in a three. Karels also had one three. The Clippers made an uninspiring 15 of 27 foul shots. St. Clair made six threes and was seven of 16 in free throw shooting. A threat from outside, Steph Cink was in foul trouble for much of the game but still had a hat trick of threes for St. Clair.
Greta Hahn came up with a pair of steals and had one assist. Ava Hahn had five assists and a steal. The McCabe sisters each had two steals. Karels had a pair of steals and one assist.
St. Clair came into the game with only two losses: to LCWM in the Valley and to non-conference WEM.
The Clippers were coming off a narrow 54-49 loss to host Lester Prairie 24 hours earlier. They trailed the Bulldogs 24-19 at the break.
“We probably should have won that game too,” said coach Remiger.
Remiger led the scoring effort with 16 points. Karels and Ava Hahn each contributed 11 points. Greta Hahn had eight points. Mariah McCabe chipped in a basket.
Karels arced in a trio of threes. The Hahn sisters each had one three. The Clippers were eight of 17 from the foul line. Lester Prairie had a trio of threes and made half of their 18 free shots.
The Clippers will look to avenge an earlier season loss when they host Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther tonight (Friday).
Above: Sarena Remiger hugs Kaylee Karels after the win. Around them are Ava and Greta Hahn, Lacey McCabe, Micah Peterson, Mariah McCabe, Taylor McCabe and Samantha Baker.
Mariah McCabe shoots from inside.
Sarena Remiger dishes off from inside. “We didn’t think they had anyone to match up with her,” said her coach and father Joe Remiger. “And so ‘get her the ball, and if it works out, great. If not, get the ball back out and just keep working that until we get what we want.’”
Ava Hahn takes aim.
Greta Hahn pivots toward the basket.
Kaylee Karels sets up for a shot under pressure.
Lacey McCabe was on fire down the stretch. Here she drives from the baseline.
Greta Hahn bursts through a pair of Cyclone defenders.
Lacey McCabe looks for an open teammate. She was the only Clipper off the bench.
Cleveland brought a small but animated student section all decked out in beach wear. Hoisting Jersie Kelley are Brenna McCarthy and Henry Strobel.
Micah Peterson dribbles to the net at Lester Prairie (photo courtesy of Patty Sullivan).