Varsity boys up intensity vs St. Clair

Intense out of the gate, the varsity boys kept up with visiting St. Clair early but ultimately fell to the Cyclones 74-36 last Tuesday.

Despite the loss, the Clippers looked like a basketball team in one of the best efforts since Mike Meyer took over as head coach last season.

“That was a big step for our program,” Meyer said. “We told them before the game we just want to see them go out and play basketball. We’ve been our own worst enemy since I took this job, but tonight I saw something I haven’t seen yet: they came out with energy starting with breaking the huddle. Every aspect was all together.”

Carter Barto hooked in a bucket, drove the paint for another and sunk a free throw, and the Clippers led 5-4. After volleyball under the rim, Blake Lyons (above) came up with the ball and put it back up for a basket. Earlier on the play he got the steal.

But the Cyclones responded with a pair of threes to go in front 10-7 and take a lead they would keep the rest of the game.

Shortly after, Lyons, who was playing as determined as ever, hobbled off the floor, and the Cyclones hit another pair of threes in a nine-point run before Barto put in a free throw and clutched an offensive rebound and scored.

“Blake got hurt, and I thought I thought maybe we would see the kind of team we were, but they kept fighting,” Meyer said.

Kyle Connor put in a layup, and Barto took a Kale Kelley handoff inside for a basket. Back on the court, Lyons hauled in a defensive rebound, took it down the court and scored. Barto put in a couple more baskets, but St. Clair led 19-33 at the break.

St. Clair went to the full-court press, but the Clippers did a good job getting through it and pounding the rim,” Meyer said.

“We just kept driving it in, and they got into foul trouble. It’s good to see us feed off of each other.”

Jorden Rossow put in a three in the second half, and Barto scored three times from the floor. Kelley and Lyons added a basket, but the Cyclones kept on the throttle to cruise to the win.

“We stayed in it the whole first half and played hard the second half,” Meyer said. “We just made more young mistakes.

Barto put in eight field goals and three free throws for 19 points. Lyons contributed seven points. Rossow had five points. Connor added three points. Kelley posted two points.

The Clippers were a lackluster five of 21 from the foul line. St. Clair plopped in eight threes and were 14 of 22 in free throw shooting.

“Right now, our offense revolves around working it inside, whether it’s dribble drive or to Barto,” Meyer said. “That works for us, but we’ve got to take better care of the ball in pressure situations. That’s something we work on in practice, but when you get into a game, they get a little more nervous, but I saw good leadership tonight, and I saw passion.”

The day before, the varsity boys fell 68-39 to Martin County West in Sherburn. The Mavericks led 36-12 at halftime.

Barto led the Clippers with 10 points. Rossow had nine points, all from behind the arc. Lyons scored eight points including a three-point basket. Connor had six points. Kelley had four points. Gabe Sullivan chipped in two points.

The Mavericks had 10 three-point baskets and were eight of 14 in free throw shooting.

At Madelia on December 13, the Clippers fell 82-51. They trailed 41-22 at the break.

Barto scored 15 points in the effort. Lyons had 14 points. Sullivan had 11 points. Kelley and Connor each had four points. Rossow put in a three-point basket.

The Clippers were eight of 13 in free-throw shooting. The Blackhawks made seven three-pointers and 14 of 19 foul shots.

The varsity boys have been working hard in the break. On Wednesday, they were in the gym for almost four hours. They will be back in action when they travel to Lester Prairie on January 3.