Jorden Rossow was out with a hurt knee, leading scorer Blake Lyons sat on the bench for most of the first half with three infractions before fouling out midway through the second half, and visiting Alden-Conger rolled over the varsity boys 62-25 on Thursday.
It was tough to compete without the pair not the floor but good experience for the younger players who had to step in, said head coach Mike Meyer. Nathan Strobel took Rossow’s place in the starting lineup. Carson Lyons (above) and Brady Bostic came off the bench in the first half.
Both teams had trouble converting out of the gate. The Clippers had three quick turnovers, but the Knights, who beat the Clippers 80-56 on the Alden court nine days prior, put in the first basket on a transition play.
Gabe Sullivan, who led the Clipper effort with a career high 12 points, put in a jumper for a 2-2 tie.
Clipper baskets came few and far between after that though. Kale Kelley took a Kyle Connor toss down the baseline and in for a score, but the Clippers trailed 15-4. Sullivan hit a jumper and made a pair of free throws, but the Knights, using their quickness to steal and drive the ball inside, were still in front 27-8. Kelley put in a free throw, but the Clippers were behind fourfold, 36-9, at the break.
Sullivan scored from the baseline for the first basket of the second half, but the Knights posted the next seven points before Sullivan hit a jumper.
Later, Blake Lyons made a free throw, Connor rebounded and scored, Carson Lyons put in a free throw and Sullivan scored on a reverse layup.
The refs issued Blake Lyons a red card with a little over 9 minutes remaining. Brother Carson made a back-to-back threes as the clock wound down.
Carson Lyons scored seven points in the effort and had the Clippers’ only baskets from behind the arc. Kelley had three points. Connor had two points, and Blake Lyons was limited to one point.
Cleveland made just five of 18 free throw attempts. The Knight, 4-4 in the conference with the win, posted four threes and were 10 for 19 from the foul line.
The varsity boys were back in action Friday when fell hard to visiting Martin County West. Rossow hurt his knee in practice the day before, and Meyer expects him to be out for a couple of weeks.
Kyle Connor puts up a jump shot.
Gabe Sullivan pulls down a rebound.
Blake Lyons weaves through a pair of Knight defenders.
Kale Kelley takes the ball into the lane.