With three starters saved for varsity after halftime, the JV girls couldn’t catch up to host Maple River and fell to the Eagles 57-30 on Friday (December 20).
The Clippers were coming off a 25-24 loss against Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons in Alden on December 16. In that game, the Knights stole and scored on a layup in the final minute for the win.
The Clippers were down early in Mapleton. After a Harper Rutz basket to get the Clippers on the board, Emma Kortuem put in a pair of buckets as did Jocelyn Kortuem. The Eagles outscored the Clippers two and a half to one though. On inside basket followed by a three, Maple River led 26-10.
But the Clippers went on an 11-point run from there. Kaitlyn Flowers put in a free shot, and Emma Kortuem stole and drove the floor for a layup and followed it with a three. Rutz assisted a Flowers jumper, and Kortuem put in a backwards shot from under the rim.
With a Rutz free shot, the Clippers were back in business, only trailing by five, 26-21 with 2:23 left to halftime. The Knights put in a pair of free shots and a basket from the floor to lead 30-21 at the break.
With Emma Kortuem, Rutz and Flowers sidelined in the second half, Maple River took the game over, outscoring the Clippers 27-9. Brooke Bosse put in two baskets, Kiya Sohn added a basket, and Ava Kluntz made a basket and a free throw.
With 11 points in one half played, Emma Kortuem led the effort. Jocelyn Kortuem and Bosse each contributed four points. With three points were Rutz, Flowers and Kluntz. Sohn chipped in two points.
Emma Kortuem put in the Clippers’ only three. They were three of eight from the foul line. Maple River made a pair of three-point baskets and five of 14 free shots.
At Alden
With three baskets from the floor from Taylor Wolf and a two and a three by Rutz and an Emma Kortuem three, the Clippers were leading AG/GE 17-16 at the half.
The second half was a defensive battle. A Jocelyn Kortuem free basket and a trio of Kluntz baskets, the first two after Knight turnovers, was all the offense the Clippers could muster.
But the Knights scored their last three baskets on Clipper turnovers for the win.
With nine points, Kluntz led the Clippers. Wolf had six points. Rutz had five points in one half played. Emma Kortuem had three points in one half played. Jocelyn Kortuem chipped in a free throw.
The Clippers had two threes and made two of four free shots. The Knights didn’t have any three pointers and were three of six from the foul line.
The JV Clippers will look to start 2025 with a win when they host Randolph today.
Above: Emma Kortuem on the steal at Mapleton. To her right is Kiya Sohn. On her left are Harper Rutz, Ava Kluntz and Kaitlyn Flowers.
