Heading into Lake Crystal on Thursday, varsity girls head coach Joe Remiger was looking for his team to play just 5 minutes of productive basketball.
After all, the Clippers didn’t have a ton to lose. The Knights have been thoroughly beating every team in the Valley Conference this season. They have just one loss: to Rochester Lourdes, and they toppled the Clippers 62-23 in their meeting in Cleveland on January 12.
And while the outcome was similar, with Knights winning 67-32, the Clippers, moving the ball around well, ran like a Rolex for much of the first half.
“I don’t know how long that went,” Remiger said. “Six or seven minutes? I would have liked to see a little more screening away, but Lake Crystal is a really good basketball team. I am proud of our girls.”
Off the opening jump, Kaylee Karels took a Sarena Remiger pass in for a bucket. The Knights scored right away and stepped in front of Clipper passes for a couple of steals, but the Clipper defense did a good job holding them off.
Mariah McCabe made a free throw for a 3-2 Clipper lead, but the Knights sunk a pair of free throws and then a basket from the floor 6 minutes in. After a LCWM transition bucket, Remiger grabbed her own rebound and scored.
The Knights put in another bucket, but Greta Hahn drove in for a basket, missed but found the rebound and put it back up for a bucket. Later, Ava Hahn (above) grabbed an O rebound and scored, and McCabe shuffled down the baseline for a basket.
But the Knights threw five threes in their mix for a 38-15 halftime advantage and then scored the first six points after the break before Ava Hahn hit a jumper from the corner for two.
Hahn drove for a basket, but the Knights sunk a two and a three to go up 51-19 before their senior star Olivia Harazin made a fancy layup for her 2000th career point.
Later, Karels put in a two, Ava Hahn sunk a three from the corner, and Lacey McCabe off the bench drove inside for a basket.
Cleveland's JV players entered with 4 minutes left. Addi Holden put in a two and a three, and Samantha Baker made a free shot.
Ava Hahn led the Clippers with nine points including one three-point basket. Karels had six points. Greta Hahn had five points including one three. Remiger had two baskets in the first half for four points. Mariah McCabe added three points while her sister Lacey had two points off the bench. Baker chipped in one point.
The Clippers went to the foul line twice and made two of four attempts there. The Knights made seven of eight free throws and had five threes in the first half and two more in the second.
The Clippers take on host Mankato Loyola tonight at 7:00 pm. The Crusaders have one conference win: over Madelia.
Kaylee Karels faces pressure as she moves inside.
Greta Hahn goes up for a shot.
The Knights did a good job limiting Sarena Remiger’s inside offense.
Mariah McCabe tosses to her sister Lacey in the second half.