Ava Locklear fills the stat sheet; Clear Creek Amana earns girls’ state basketball breakthrough

DES MOINES — Bliss Beck learned. Sometimes, the hard way.

When Ava Locklear has the ball, always be prepared.

“When I was a sophomore, sometimes I would bobble her passes,” Beck said. “She can get it to you quick, so be ready.”

Beck was a common beneficiary to Locklear’s dishing tendencies Tuesday afternoon.

Locklear finished one assist short of a triple-double — 14 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists — and No. 1 Clear Creek Amana whipped Gilbert, 68-30, in a Class 4A girls’ state basketball quarterfinal at Wells Fargo Arena.

It was the first win in three state tournament trips for the Clippers, who improved to 24-0.

“We’re definitely not satisfied,” Locklear said. “I’m excited for (the semifinals) Thursday, and hopefully we’re here Saturday (for the finals), too.”

The next step is 5 p.m. Thursday against No. 5 North Polk (23-2), a 48-42 winner over defending champion Dallas Center-Grimes.

“We came here for three games,” CCA Coach P.J. Sweeney said. “Thursday is going to be a tough battle, but this group is ready.

“I can’t wait.”

The first step was smooth sailing.

Sam Schrage converted a couple of steals into baskets in the first four minutes, and the Clippers led 22-9 after a quarter, 41-20 at halftime.

“Every game is going to be tough. We had to come out ready to play,” Schrage said.

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Averie Lower led all scorers with 17 points; she drilled 5 of 8 shots from 3-point range. Beck (8 of 11 from the field) scored 16. Schrage (6 of 7) tallied 12.

CCA shot 54.7 percent from the field, including 63.3 percent in that surgical first half.

Locklear admitted the bench was keeping track of her numbers, and that elusive 10th assist was on her mind.

“It is what it is,” she said.

As for the rebounds ...

“A lot of it was my teammates playing phenomenal defense. I went to get the ball, and when I get it, I push it.”

The top defensive team in 4A at 31.2 points per game allowed, the Clippers held Gilbert (15-10) to 11-of-46 shooting from the field (23.9 percent), including 1-of-20 from long range.

“Our pressure in the first quarter, Sam got a couple of steals early, and it set the tone,” Sweeney said.

With four juniors and a freshman in the starting lineup, Gilbert is where CCA was last year.

“We’ve been there,” Beck said. “It’s nice to be on the other end of it this time.”

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Photos: Clear Creek Amana vs. Gilbert in Class 4A girls’ state basketball quarterfinals

Clear Creek Amana 68, Gilbert 30

Class 4A State Quarterfinal, at Des Moines

GILBERT (30): Abby Patel 1-4 4-4 6, Mia Kautman 5-9 1-1 11, Callie Hales 0-0 2-6 2, Mollie Schnormeier 1-5 0-0 2, Ella Henningsen 3-12 0-2 7, Katie Sniezek 0-6 0-0 0, Kayla Rash 1-4 0-0 2, Abigail Thompson 0-0 0-0 0, Adalyn Gauck 0-2 0-0 0, Kennady Hansen 0-1 0-0 0, Emee Dani 0-0 0-0 0, Kaylin Richards 0-1 0-0 0, Greta Platts 0-1 0-0 0, Lauren Sniezek 0-0 0-0 0, Olivia Timmermans 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-46 7-13 30.

CLEAR CREEK AMANA (68): Kaylee Stratton 0-1 0-0 0, Averie Lower 6-11 0-0 17, Sam Schrage 6-7 0-0 12, Bliss Beck 8-11 0-0 16, Ava Locklear 7-13 0-0 14, Addesyn Campbell 0-0 0-0 0, Kiera Rogers 0-0 2-4 2, Lena Evans 0-6 3-6 3, Melissa Sweeney 0-1 0-0 0, Kennedy Stratton 2-3 0-0 4, Lexi Moran 0-0 0-0 0, Kelsey Leathers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-53 5-10 68.

Gilbert 9 11 5 5 — 30

Clear Creek Amana 22 19 11 16 — 68

3-point goals: Gilbert 1-20 (Patel 0-2, Kautman 0-3, Schnormeier 0-3, Henningsen 1-5, K. Sniezek 0-4, Rash 0-1, Gauck 0-1, Richards 0-1), CCA 5-15 (Lower 5-8, Schrage 0-1, Evans 0-4, Sweeney 0-1, Kennedy Stratton 0-1). Team fouls: Gilbert 9, CCA 13. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Gilbert 23 (Henningsen 6), CCA 41 (Locklear 17). Assists: Gilbert 3 (three with 1), CCA 19 (Locklear 9). Steals: Gilbert 8 (Hales 3), CCA 15 (Locklear 5). Turnovers: Gilbert 22, CCA 18.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com