After the first few minutes, it looked like visiting Madelia was going to hold the varsity girls to a 0-4 start, but down 16-13, the Clippers, moving players to and from the bench, went on 24-point run and never looked back in a 75-58 triumph on Thursday.
Three Clippers hit double figures and nine contributed to the score.
“It felt like a more of a team effort tonight,” said head coach Joe Remiger. “We had good flow. It helps when you are hitting shots.”
Madelia got off to a good start, pulling down an offensive rebound and putting it back up for a three and then scoring from the floor.
On her way to a team high17 points, Lacey McCabe parked a three to get the Clippers on the scoreboard.
“I came out hot,” said the senior.
But the Blackhawks bagged another basket from three-point land and then stole and scored for a 10-3 advantage.
The Clippers, who beat the Blackhawks in both meetings last year, responded when Ava Hahn and Harper Rutz each sunk a pair of foul shots, and, after a Taylor McCabe steal, Lacey McCabe scored from inside on a Kaitlyn Flowers handoff. When Taylor McCabe assisted her older sister’s layup, the Clippers were in front 11-10.
The Blackhawks replied with another three and a two to regain the lead. After Rutz took a Flowers toss in for a bucket, Madelia made a free throw, to lead 16-13.
But it was all Clippers after that. Addi Holden plopped in a jumper, and Rutz followed up with a three. Hahn made a free throw, missed the second, but Mollie Bowman rushed in for the rebound and put it up for a bucket.
With the players flowing on and off the bench, including eighth graders Emma Kortuem and Rutz, the offense ticked along like a Rolex. Kortuem assisted a Hahn layup, Lacey McCabe put in a pair of gratuity shots, and Hahn parked a three from the corner to continue the run.
After Taylor McCabe put in a two-point basket, Kortuem sunk a three from the corner. Kortuem missed a pair of free shots, but Hahn got the rebound, and Kortuem ended up scoring anyway on the play. Bowman hauled in a rebound and scored to put the Clippers in front 37-16 before a Blackhawk free shot stopped two-dozen-point rally with 2:20 left in the half.
From there, Taylor McCabe canned a three, and Lacey McCabe added a free shot, Rutz scored just before the buzzer to put the Clippers in front 43-22 at the intermission.
Madelia outscored Cleveland 36-32 in the second half, but the Clippers never lost control. Lacey McCabe put in three more buckets from the floor and a free throw while sister Taylor tossed in a two and another three. Hahn and Holden each added two baskets, and Bowman, Taylor Wolf, Flowers and Kortuem each added a bucket.
“I think defensively in the second half we let up a little bit,” Remiger said. “We were hoping to come out the first five minutes and put the screws to them, but that didn’t happen.”
It was a breakout effort for Lacey McCabe. She was inspired by her sister Julia McCabe (CHS 2019) and Julia’s friend, MSU,M basketball standout Malik Willingham, who, in the stands, were back from Georgia (Eastern Europe), where Willingham plays professional basketball.
“We need more of that from her,” Remiger said.
Hahn totaled 14 points. Taylor McCabe added 10 points, and the eighth-grade sensations each contributed nine points.
“They are definitely a threat from the outside,” Remiger said about Kortuem and Rutz. “They are just a little bit undersized as far as physicality, but as far as heart…and they have taken enough shots; they know how to make buckets. When they’re a threat from outside, that makes a big deal for us to get the ball inside once the other team has to go out and guard them.”
Holden and Bowman each had six points while Flowers and Wolf each chipped in a bucket.
The Clippers buried six baskets from behind the arc and 13 of 20 shots from the foul stripe. Madelia also made six threes and were14 of 21 from the foul line.
Bowman had four assists, two steals and nine rebounds. Hahn had two assists, four steals and nine rebounds. Lacey McCabe had two assists, one steal, two blocks and nine rebounds. Holden had one assist, one steal, one block and nine rebounds. Rutz had three assists and one rebound. Taylor McCabe had four assists, three steals and four rebounds. Kortuem had two assists, two steals and four rebounds. Flowers had two assists and four rebounds. Ava Kluntz pulled down one rebounds.
The varsity girls host Nicollet tonight (Tuesday) at 5:45 p.m. The Raiders have beaten Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons and Madelia but lost to Cedar Mountain and GHEC/T/ML.
Above: Lacey McCabe cuts into the lane.
