Launched from 10 feet up from the opposite baseline, Miles Tomaszewski’s guided missile just before the halftime buzzer soared over the halfcourt line, started its descent near the top of the key and landed safely through the rim, nothing but net.
While it was the freshman’s third triple of the half, for its distance, certainly the longest game basket ever in the new Cleveland gym, it should have been worth even more than three points.
But it didn’t really matter. The longshot put the Clippers in front of visiting Martin County West 27-12 at the break on Tuesday en route to a 51-34 triumph.
Coming off a close loss at New Ulm Cathedral the Thursday before, the Clippers were trailing the Mustangs 7-5 when Zander Linder stole and assisted a Wyatt Krenik layup. On a Tomaszewski steal and assist, Linder scored himself, Krenik ran in another layup, and, after Tomaszewski airmailed his first three of the game, the Clippers led 14-7 and never looked back from there.
Kiptyn Coon (above) opened the second half with a three and put in four two-pointers in the second half. With his two baskets and two free baskets in the first half, he led the Clippers with 14 points.
In one half played, Tomaszewski had nine points. Krenik, Luke Heldberg and Jack Mons each had seven points. Krenik put in a first-half three while Mons had a second-half three. Jack Anderson made a pair of buckets in the second half. Linder chipped in a basket.
The Clippers totaled six threes and made three of nine free shots. The Mavericks made three three-point baskets and five of 11 free throws.
NUC 36, Cleveland 32
With the Clippers trailing 18-16 to start the second half, Coon stole and put in a basket and then rebounded and scored to put the Clippers in front by two. After the Greyhounds mde the second of two foul shots, Mons made a basket after an Anderson steal. With a Tony Hollerich drive for a layup, the Clippers were in front 24-19.
The lead swung back and forth from there. The Greyhounds posted the next eight points to go ahead by three, but Mons scored from the baseline and made a pair of foul shots for a 28-27 Clipper advantage. Cathedral made two foul shots, but Heldberg pulled down an offensive rebound and scored to put the Clippers in front 30-29. The Greyhounds bagged a three, but two Mons free throws deadlocked the game 32-32.
But the Clippers didn’t score again. The Greyhounds made two more free shots to pull ahead, and with no shot clock, drained the clock down the stretch while going to the line twice and making a foul shot each trip.
With 13 points, Mons led the effort. In the first half, he shot the Clippers’ only three. Coon put in two baskets in each half for eight points. Heldberg added five points. Hollerich had a basket in each half for four points. Only playing in the first half, Tomaszewski chipped in a basket.
The Clippers made five of eight free throws. Cathedral canned a pair of three-point baskets and 10 of 17 free shots.
The Clippers return to action today (Thursday) in a 6:00 p.m. game at St. James.
