Turning up the heat in the second half, the varsity girls toppled visiting New Ulm Cathedral 62-46 on Tuesday in a team effort.
“In the locker room we talked about how we just need to play our game,” said Sarena Remiger, who led all players with 17 points. “We were playing down. We know how we play, and we can bring that up. So it was just getting those looks inside; driving in and kicking out so that Kaylee (Karels) and Greta (Hahn) and Ava (Hahn) can shoot those threes."
With the Greyhounds tossing losing position out of bounds three times, the Clippers got up early starting with free baskets by Emily Kern and Ava Hahn. Kern and Remiger hauled in offensive rebounds and scored, and the Clippers were in front 6-0 before Cathedral scored on a long jump shot.
Kern and Remiger each scored again from inside, but the Greyhounds, trailing 11-6, plunked in a three and followed up with a pair of two-pointers to go up by a basket with about 8 minutes left in the first half.
The Clippers quickly got the lead back though and kept it the rest of the game. Remiger missed, pulled down her rebound and scored, and Greta Hahn took an Emma Treanor toss up and in from the baseline. With a long Ava Hahn jumper and a Karels basket with an and-one attached, the Clippers were up 19-14.
Cathedral responded with a basket from across the three-point stripe, but Remiger spun inside for two. Karels plunged inside for a couple of baskets, and with an Ava Hahn steal and ensuing layup, the Clippers led 28-21 at the break.
“With our size, we got the ball in, but the shots weren’t going through,” said head coach Joe Remiger. “You do all that work to get to that point, and it doesn’t go in, and it’s hard, and defensively you have to step it up even more, but we played a lot better in the second half.”
With the Clippers maneuvering the ball inside, Kern twisted for the first basket of the second half. Kaylee Karels hit a pair of free shots, Kern spun for another two, and the Clippers leaped ahead 34-21.
“I think a lot of it started because we just talked more,” said Sarena Remiger. “We play a lot better when we talk. It brings up the energy of the whole game.”
The Greyhounds made a couple of three-point plays, the first on a trio of foul shots and the second with a basket from beyond the arc. Keeping up, Kern grabbed an O board and scored between them, and after, Remiger hit a shot from the paint.
Later, Greta Hahn made the first two of four baskets she would have in the second half. Sibling Ava completed the six-point run with a jumper from the corner.
With her team up 48-37, Greta Hahn capped off a 10-point run with a three. A pair of Lacey McCabe freebies accounted for the final two Clipper points.
Kern had 13 points. Karels had 11 points. Greta Hahn also scored 11 points and put in the Clippers’ only three. Ava Hahn posted eight points. McCabe chipped in two points.
The Clippers were nine of 22 from the foul line. The Greyhounds put in four threes and were 14 of 29 in free-throw shooting.
The varsity girls finish their regular season on Tuesday when they host St. Clair at 5:45 pm. seventh seeded in the subsection, they take on second-ranked Central Minnesota Christian in Prinsburg on Tuesday, March 1.
Greta Hahn meets a NUC defender head on.
Kaylee Karels eyes the rim. Behind her is Sarena Remiger.
Emma Treanor looks for a shot.
Ava Hahn steps inside for a shot.
Emily Kern looks to get the ball on the Clipper side of the court.
Mariah McCabe sets up for a shot inside.