Trailing for most of the game, visiting Alden-Conger, newly combined this year with Glenville-Emmons, went up by a point, 54-53 down the stretch but missed baskets from there while the Clippers went on a scoring binge to win their season opener on Monday, 75-68.
“I’m happy with that first game,” said head coach Mike Meyer. “There are a lot of things we have to work on, but it is game one.”
Behind 53-48 after Carson Lyons made a nifty move to score on a jumper from the baseline, the Knights took the ball inside to score the next six points.
Bode Bartell made back-to-back free throws to regain the Clipper lead, and with a Kyle Connor basket from the baseline, a pair of free shots from Brennan Kortuem and a Connor jump shot from the paint, the Clippers were suddenly back up front 61-54.
The Knights responded when they followed a three-point basket with a two pointer to pull within a basket. Lyons drove for the next basket, but the Knights scored to narrow their deficit back to two.
Bartell hit another pair of free shots, and Connor, continuing his strong play in the final minutes, put in a hook shot from the paint. Kale Kelley spun for a bucket, and after the Knights got flagged for a charge, Lyons twisted in a basket that widened the Clipper lead to a dozen, 73-61.
While the Knights hit a three, a two and a pair of free shots from there, the Clippers held on for a triumph.
The Clippers, who beat the Knights in both meetings last season, trailed 10-4 early, but Kortuem hit a pair of threes to deadlock the game 10-10. Later, Kortuem popped in two more threes, and Bartell added a three, and the Clippers led 43-35 at the break.
“Alden set a tempo right away,” Meyer said. “I didn’t love how we got back in transition. We gave up a lot of easy break points, or at least chances. Our goal is to be a fast-paced team, but if we’re going to take a break, we have to do it on offense. We can’t slow down on defense. Our culture is defense. That’s what we live by.”
Lyons led the Clippers with 26 points, 11 baskets from the floor and four free throws. Kortuem totaled 21 points, including a dozen points from three-point country. Bartell had the Clippers only other three and 13 total points. He was six of eight from the foul line. Connor had eight points, six of them in the second half. Kelley made two free throws in the first half and two baskets in the second half for six points. Alex Johnson added a free throw in the first half.
The Clippers were 16 of 25 from the foul line and put in five three-point baskets. The Knights’ leading scorer had 30 points. They made four threes and were 10 of 16 in foul shooting.
Kortuem hauled down 10 rebounds and had one assist, one block and two steals. Lyons had eight rebounds, two assists and five steals. Kelley had five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Bartell had five rebounds, two assists and four steals. Johnson had five rebounds. Connor had three rebounds, one assist and two steals. Tanner Simonette had one rebound, one assist. Gavin Karels had one rebound.
The Clippers totaled 17 turnovers.
“Kale didn’t play a lot las year, but he was a leader out there,” Meyer said. “Kyle and AJ did really well underneath. The younger guys, Tanner, Alex (Kortuem) and Gavin all stepped in and got their minutes. I was confident with every crew we had on the court.”
The Clippers take on host Loyola tonight. The Crusaders are coming off of a 74-53 loss to host Madelia on Tuesday.
Above: Brenan Kortuem eyes the hoop.
