With four and a half minutes to go in the first half and the varsity Clipper girls tied with visiting Randolph 21-21 on Thursday, a Rocket player crashed hard into the Clipper bench. Both teams left the floor for over a half an hour while first responders worked to stop the bleeding.
When the game finally resumed, the Clippers couldn’t stop their own hemorrhaging, which came in the form of turnovers, and the Rockets, certainly playing inspired for their teammate, who had left the gym on a gurney, went on to down the Clippers 52-43.
“They had a lot of motivation to come out to play, and we knew they did,” said head coach Joe Remiger. “For us, it was a long way to run from one end of the court and just give it up. You have to take care of the basketball.”
Enroute for 11 of the Clippers’ first 13 points, Ava Hahn looped a three. Lacey McCabe hauled down a defensive rebound, drove the floor and scored on a layup for a 5-0 Clipper advantage.
The Rockets got on the board with a two-point basket, but Hahn took an in-bounds pass up from the baseline for a basket and then scored on an Emma Kortuem assist. The Rockets plopped in a three, but Hahn put in a pair of threes for a 13-5 Clipper advantage.
After the Rockets scored, McCabe added another basket. Later, with the Rockets upping their offense, Taylor McCabe scored on a running jump shot from the paint and made a quick steal under the Clipper rim and put it back up for a 19-17 Clipper lead.
“We started an eighth grader (Kortuem) because we knew we needed guards because they were going to press,” Remiger said. “But as soon as we broke it a couple of times, they were done with it.”
With six minutes to go in the half, the Rockets stole and hit a layup to tie the game 19-19. Addi Holden put in a shot from inside, but the Rockets responded with a basket before their player got injured.
When play resumed, Holden hooked in a basket and followed with a jumper from the paint for two more points, but the Rockers went on the steal to lead by two, 27-25 at halftime and never trailed from there.
Taking advantage of errant Clipper passes, the Rockets posted the first three baskets of the second half. Lacey McCabe took a Hahn pass in for an uncontested layup, and Hahn stole and drove the floor for a basket to pull the Clippers within four, 33-29, but the Rockets continued to capitalize on off-target Clipper passes to cruise to the victory.
“It seems like the last six to eight minutes is where we lose it,” Remiger said. “I don’t know if we get tired or if we get down because they stole and scored.”
With 15 points, including all three of the Clippers’ baskets from behind the arc, Hahn led the effort. Lacey McCabe had 14 points including five baskets in the second half. Holden put in three baskets from the floor in the first half for six total points. Taylor McCabe had a pair of first-half baskets for four points. Kaitlyn Flowers and Kortuem each chipped in a bucket in the second half.
The Clippers made three of 10 foul shots. Randolph also put in a trio of threes and were one of 10 in free throw shooting.
Remiger pointed to the play of Flowers, who did a good job on the boards.
The Clippers traveled to Wells on Monday to take on USC. They return home today (Tuesday) for another non-conference game, this one against Le Sueur-Henderson.
Above: Lacey McCabe goes to the bucket under pressure.
