Benton Community whips Clear Creek Amana, closes in on Wamac West championship

TIFFIN — On this night, the Benton Bobcats were a buzzsaw, one that would have chopped up just about anybody it faced.

Jenna Twedt scored 22 of her 30 points in the first half, and Class 3A third-ranked Benton Community scored a pivotal Wamac Conference West Division girls’ basketball triumph over 4A No. 7 Clear Creek Amana, 59-42, Friday night at Clear Creek Amana High School.

“We can go pretty far if we keep playing like this,” Twedt said.

Who’s to argue?

Benton (16-2 overall, 7-1 Wamac West) turned the ball over just twice in the first half in building a 17-point lead at intermission. The Bobcats nailed all 15 of their free-throw attempts.

And here’s the real kicker: They owned a plus-10 margin on the glass against a much bigger team.

“We played well,” Benton Coach Jeff Zittergruen said, understatedly. “We moved the ball. We shared the ball. And Jenna ... ”

He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to.

“She was fantastic,” CCA Coach P.J. Sweeney said. “She got it going early. She drives. She shoots from the perimeter. She’s good at leaning in and creating contact.”

Bound for Kirkwood Community College, Twedt hit 8 of 11 shots in the first half. She finished 9 for 18, and converted all 10 of her free-throw tries.

“Free throws, they’ve got to be automatic,” Twedt said.

The Bobcats gained separation in the second quarter, scoring the first 14 points to turn a competitive game into a comfortable margin at 34-16.

It was 38-21 at halftime.

Freshman Averie Lower started the second half with a four-point play, and CCA (12-3, 5-2) scored the first eight points of the half to get within nine.

The Clippers got as close as 42-34 before the Bobcats reasserted themselves.

“We’ve just been playing really well,” said Benton junior Emma Townsley, who added 11 points. “Tonight, we beat a really good team in what might have been a (divisional)-title game.”

Benton was a Wamac West co-champion each of the last two years. The Bobcats’ last outright divisional title was in 2013.

They can pretty much wrap it up with a home win Tuesday against Vinton-Shellsburg.

“We don’t want to share it this year,” Twedt said.

McKenna Kramer tallied nine points, and Zoey Junge harnessed 10 rebounds to stake the Bobcats to a 29-19 rebounding advantage.

“That margin shocks me,” Zittergruen said. “That’s one of the biggest factors in the game.”

Kaylee Stratton paced CCA, which was down two starters due to injury, with 13 points. Ava Locklear posted 12 points and nine rebounds.

Benton Community 59, Clear Creek Amana 42

At Tiffin

BENTON COMMUNITY (59): Emma Townsley 3-5 5-5 11, Piper Nelson 1-4 0-0 3, McKenna Kramer 3-5 0-0 9, Jenna Twedt 9-18 10-10 30, Zoey Junge 1-7 0-0 3, Addison Phillips 1-2 0-0 3, Aubrey Kelly 0-0 0-0 0, Jaida Lyons 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-41 15-15 59.

CLEAR CREEK AMANA (42): Kaylee Stratton 5-8 0-0 13, Averie Lower 2-5 1-1 6, Olivia Miller 1-2 0-0 2, Bliss Beck 3-8 1-1 7, Ava Locklear 4-13 4-4 12, Kennedy Stratton 1-4 0-0 2, Lena Evans 0-0 0-0 0, Addesyn Campbell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-41 6-6 42.

Benton Community 20 18 12 9 — 59

Clear Creek Amana 16 5 15 6 — 42

3-point goals: Benton 8-21 (Townsley 0-1, Nelson 1-3, Kramer 3-5, Twedt 2-5, Junge 1-5, Phillips 1-2), CCA 4-11 (Kaylee Stratton 3-5, Lower 1-4, Kennedy Stratton 0-1, Evans 0-1). Team fouls: Benton 12, CCA 15. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Benton 29 (Junge 10), CCA 19 (Locklear 9). Assists: Benton 7 (Twedt, Phillips 2), CCA 4 (Locklear 2). Steals: Benton 4 (four with 1), CCA 4 (four with 1). Turnovers: Benton 9, CCA 10.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com