Ending their season, the seventh and eighth grade basketball girls suffered a narrow 31-30 loss to host Randolph on Tuesday.
But the junior high girls, only eight of them and sometimes split into two teams, and sometimes combined into one, could compete with any team they faced for a successful year.
As a combined team, only Nicollet beat them in the conference tournament in Granada. Split, the seventh graders almost beat the Raiders last week, and the eighth graders went on to a decisive win.
In Randolph, Haddie Jobe, who led the Clipper effort with a dozen points, put in a jumper to deadlock the game at 28 and then drove the baseline for a 30-28 lead with 2:10 remaining.
But the Rockets, getting lots of second chances all night, pulled down an offensive rebound and scored to equal the game at 30. Kaitlyn Flowers (10 total points) fouled out, and the Rockets put in the first of two free shots to take the lead.
The Clippers had the ball back with 18 seconds left bout coughed it up, and the Rockets held on to the victory.
Jobe scored the first basket for the Clippers. But the Rockets were up 8-2 when the Clippers scored again, this time on a Flowers baseline drive.
After the Rockets put in four free shots in three trips to the foul line, Jobe scored again, but the Rockets responded to go up 14-6. Jobe took an Ava Kluntz handoff in for a basket, but the Rockets scored the final bucket of the first half to double up on the Clippers, 16-8.
Taylor Wolf grabbed a rebound and scored when the Clippers missed a foul shot for the first points of the second half. Flowers scored and made the ensuing free shot, but the Rockets put in a three and a two to maintain an 8-point advantage.
Keira Schipper spun in a basket and then took a Valentina Rohlfing pass across the lane up and in, and the Clippers were back within four 21-17.
Schipper made a pair of foul shots, Flowers drove the baseline for a basket, and Jobe put in a free shot to tie the game 24-24 with 5:41 remaining.
Rohlfing stole, and Jobe hit a layup on the possession to put the Clippers ahead for the first time. But the Rockets scored on a jumper and then again right after when they picked off the Clippers’ in-bound pass to go up 28-26.
Schipper added six points. Wolf put in two points. The Clippers made six of 11 attempts from the foul line. The Rockets made a trio of threes and half of their dozen free throw attempts.
Rohlfing hit a basket for the only Clipper points in the extra 10 minutes of play after the regulation game.
Above: The junior high team, from L-R, front row: Ava Kluntz, Kiya Sohn, Valentina Rohlfing and Aubrey Blaschko. Back row: Coach Shawna Zabinski, Haddie Jobe, Kiera Schipper, Kaitlyn Flowers, Taylor Wolf and coach Kelly Susa.
Valentina Rohlfing takes the ball down court.
On defense are Taylor Wolf, Haddie Jobe, Kiera Schipper, Kaitlyn Flowers and Ava Kluntz.
Haddie Jobe works her way around a defender.
Kaitlyn Flowers drives to the bucket.
Kierra Schipper rebounds from the floor.