Steadily working their way back after trailing by 19-7 at the break, the B-squad girls made it two in a row on Monday when they downed visiting Martin County West 24-21.
Forcing a slew of Maverick turnovers, the Clippers scored the first 14 points of the second half. With 3 minutes left, Delaney Thompson drove in for a basket and a 21-19 Clipper lead.
The Clippers swiped MCW’s next possession, but the Mavericks stole right back and scored to go up by a point. It was their only basket of the half.
From there, Thompson found a lane to the net to give the Clippers a 22-21 lead with 1:05 to go. They never trailed from there.
The Mavericks turned the ball over, and coach Chris Seely took a Clipper time out with 25 seconds remaining.
“We just wanted to get the ball in, and I told them if we had a layup take it, otherwise control the ball and let them foul you. ”
Running a tight rope under pressure along the baseline, Lacey McCabe stepped out of bounds, but the Clippers got the ball back with 14 seconds left when the Mavericks walked.
McCabe took an in-bounds pass up and in with 2.6 seconds left to give the Clippers a two-point cushion. The Mavericks hurled a Hail Mary, but it was off target, and the Clippers held on for the win.
“We really shut them down,” Seely said, “so that was good.”
But it was the Mavericks who were forcing turnovers early, and they scored the game's first eight points. Thompson made a free throw midway through the first half to finally get the Clippers on the board.
Sam Wondra stole and waltzed down the floor for a layup, Addi Holden scored on a jump shot near the foul line and later got a rebound near the arc and scored, but that was all the offense the Clippers assembled in the first half. The Mavericks went on a seven-point run from there to lead 19-7 at the intermission.
“I told them we needed to pay better defense,” Seely said. “We weren’t playing good defense in the first half."
The Clippers responded, stealing and forcing the Mavericks to turn the ball over.
After the Mavericks lost the ball out of bounds, Taylor McCabe (above) hooked in a shot for the first basket of the second half. Holden stole, and Lacey McCabe put in a layup on the possession. Wondra stole, and Thompson drove the baseline on the possession for another Clipper basket. The Mavericks turned the ball over again, and Holden made a free throw after.
The Mavericks had six more turnovers before Samantha Baker clutched an offensive rebound and put it back up for a basket to pull the Clippers within a point, 19-18.
With nine points, Thompson led the effort. Holden added five points. Lacey McCabe totaled four points. Baker, Wondra, and Taylor McCabe each had two points. The Clippers made two of six foul shots. MCW made one of two from the foul line.
Mollie Bowman is still sidelined with a knee injury.
The B girls return to action on Thursday when they host Nicollet.
Sam Wondra pulls up to make a pass.
Addi Holden gets set for a jumper.
Samantha Baker coils for a shot after making an offensive rebound. It went through the net to pull the Clippers within a point.
Delaney Thompson takes the ball into shooting range.
Lacey McCabe on the possession with under 20 seconds remaining.
The after-school kids were in attendance.