Up against three of the top four teams in the Valley, the varsity girls have had a tough stretch.
On Monday, they lost 65-29 in Granada to Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain-Truman. Last week they fell 54-40 to visiting St. Clair on Thursday after getting beat 64-30 by host Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial on Tuesday.
Each team had beaten the Clippers earlier in the season.
The Clippers hung round for the first dozen minutes or so at Granada before the Jaguars used their size and strength to work the ball inside.
Greta Hahn drove the lane for the Clippers’ first basket. Taylor McCabe’s three-point basket, her second of the half, put the Clippers in front 12-9, but the Jaguars scored the next dozen points before Hahn broke up the run when she made the second of two foul shots.
Ava Hahn and Lacey McCabe scored afterwards, but the Jags led 31-12 at the intermission.
Turnovers hurt the Clippers in the second half while the Jaguars revved up their interior game to outscore the Clippers 34-12.
The Clipper points in the second half came from an Ava Hahn three, a basket from the floor and a free throw by Taylor McCabe and two-point baskets by Keira Schipper, Addi Holden and Mollie Bowman.
With nine points, Taylor McCabe led the effort. The Hahn sisters each added five points. Holden had a basket each half for four points. Bowman, Schipper and Lacey McCabe each chipped in two points.
The Clippers were two of six from the foul line. The Jaguars also made a trio of three pointers and were 10 of 24 in free throw shooting.
St. Clair rained down 11 three-point baskets in the first half to lead the Clippers 46-18 at the intermission.
After the Cyclones opened the game with a pair of threes, Holden scored on a jumper, and Greta Hahn stole and drove the floor for a layup.
But the Cyclones scored the next nine points. Greta Hahn put in a three of her own, the first of three she would have in the game, and Bowman scored from inside.
Later, Taylor McCabe put in a running jump shot, and Lacey McCabe took a Greta Hahn assist inside for a bucket. Ava Hahn assisted a Taylor McCabe layup for the last Clipper basket of the half, and the Cyclones scored the next 15 points before the break.
The Clippers went to the three in the second half with a pair from Greta Hahn and one each from Schipper and Taylor McCabe to outscore the Cyclones 22-18, but it wasn’t enough to be much of a threat.
Greta Hahn led the Clippers with 15 points. Taylor McCabe had 11 points. Ava Hahn added four points. Holden had three points, and Lacey McCabe and Bowman each chipped in two points.
The Clippers totaled five threes and were three of six from the foul line. St. Clair recorded 13 threes and was seven of 12 in free throw shooting.
Mostly from a trio of three pointers off the hands of Greta Hahn, the Clippers kept up with LCWM for the first 11 minutes.
But after Holden made the second of two foul shots and put in a jumper from the paint to deadlock the game at 18 with seven minutes to go in the half, but the Knights rallied for the next seven points while the Clipper shooting chilled.
Greta Hahn put in one more three in the first half, but the Knights led 36-22 at the break.
“Sure, Greta’s putting in threes, but we’re boxing out. We’re giving them one shot, and on their drives, we’re helping,” said head coach Joe Remiger. “That kind of went away for us. I don’t know if we got tired, but that’s the kind of stuff we have to fight through.”
In the second half, the Clipper offense stalled out. Holden and Greta Hahn each put in threes, and Schipper made a two-point basket, but that was it, and the Knights outscored the Clippers 28-8 to cruise to the victory.
With 20 points, Greta Hahn led the effort. Holden added eight points, and Schipper chipped in a basket, but no other Clipper managed to score.
The Clippers made six threes, five from Greta Hahn and one from Holden. They were two of eight from the free throw stripe. The Knights put in nine threes and were 11 of 24 in free throw shooting.
Holding first place in the conference with a 7-1 record, St. Clair lost to LCWM but will play the Knights again. In second place with an 8-2 record, MCW fell to ML/GHEC/Truman and St. Clair but will play both again. In third place with an 8-3 record, ML/GHEC/T fell to St. Clair twice and to LCWM once. In fourth place with a 7-3 record, LCWM lost to MCW twice and split with ML/GHEC/T.
The varsity girls host Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons on Thursday. The Knights beat the visiting Clippers 56-40 earlier in the season, but the Clippers were without Ava Hahn.
Above: Greta Hahn launches a shot from three-point range during the St. Clair game.
Addi Holden eyes the bucket in Granada.
Taylor McCabe dribbles toward the lane while Addi Holden blocks out a Jaguar defender.
Lacey takes aim as a St. Clair player moves toward her.
Ava Hahn winds up for a pass to Taylor McCabe during the home game against St. Clair.
Ava Hahn leans inside as a Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial defender pulls up.
Greta Hahn stretches for a shot at Lake Crystal.
Keira Schipper takes the ball inside on the Lake Crystal court.
Arbitrating the home game vs. St. Clair were Greg Kiebler, Matt Schafer and Jim Day. Together, they have a combined 60 years of basketball officiating experience.