Hot-shooting CCA enhances its Wamac West title hopes

VINTON — Shoot good, look good.

Clear Creek Amana did both Tuesday night.

Sophomore post Bliss Beck spearheaded a remarkably efficient attack, and the Clippers stayed hot with a 64-40 Wamac Conference West Division girls’ basketball road triumph over Vinton-Shellsburg.

“We’re really playing our best game right now,” Beck said after the Clippers (11-5 overall, 7-2 division) stayed tied for the Wamac West lead alongside Benton Community. “We started 1-4, and ever since, we’ve really been playing together.”

Aided by 14 assists, CCA shot 58 percent from the field (22 of 38) and won for the 10th time in its last 11 games.

“I shouldn’t be surprised, but every game, they surprise me,” CCA Coach P.J. Sweeney said. “We are progressing day by day, getting 1 percent better each day.”

One of the area’s most accurate shooters from the floor at 63 percent this season, Beck posted a tidy 16-point, 11-rebound effort, hitting 6 of 8 shots from the floor.

She also delivered three assists, four steals and a handful of blocks.

“I get a little nervous when I get the ball,” she confessed. “My teammates were open, too. The 3-pointer was hot for us tonight.”

The Clippers connected on 7 of 13 long-range attempts, Kalin Rotzoll hit three in a row in the first half.

CCA led 32-16 at intermission. Vinton-Shellsburg (11-6, 5-3) got as close as 12 points on two occasions in the third quarter, but the Clippers held the Vikettes scoreless for the first 5:03 on the final period and pulled away.

Rotzoll added 12 points for the winners, Ava Locklear 11.

“Bliss and Ava complement each other so well (in the paint),” Sweeney said. “They bring different games, different skill sets.”

Sophia Kreutner paced Vinton-Shellsburg with nine points. Brylee Bruce posted six points, six rebounds and five steals.

A lot of key games remain in the Wamac West, but the biggest appears to be the Feb. 8 finale between CCA and Benton, at Van Horne.

Clear Creek Amana 64, Vinton-Shellsburg 40

At Vinton

CLEAR CREEK AMANA (64): Samantha Schrage 1-5 0-0 3, Olivia Miller 2-3 1-1 6, Bliss Beck 6-8 4-7 16, Reese Stockman 1-3 2-2 5, Ava Locklear 5-8 1-2 11, Kalin Rotzoll 3-5 3-3 12, Kaylee Stratton 2-3 2-2 6, Eva Plathe 1-2 0-2 2, Meghan Cullen 0-0 0-0 0, Shelby Leathers 0-0 0-0 0, Melissa Sweeney 1-1 0-0 3, Avery Allan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-38 13-19 64.

VINTON-SHELLSBURG (40): Abby Davis 1-5 0-0 2, Sophia Kreutner 4-10 0-0 9, Ashlie Meyer 3-8 0-0 6, Alyssa Griffith 3-11 1-1 7, Brylee Bruce 2-5 2-2 6, Julia Johnson 1-5 4-4 6, Kalinda Burke 1-3 0-1 2, Peytin Clemensen 1-1 0-0 2, Tess Erickson 0-0 0-0 0, Grayce McClintock 0-0 0-0 0, Victoria Humiston 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-49 7-8 40.

Clear Creek Amana 18 14 13 19 — 64

Vinton-Shellsburg 10 6 16 8 — 40

3-point goals: CCA 7-13 (Schrage 1-4, Miller 1-2, Stockman 1-2, Rotzoll 3-4, Sweeney 1-1), Vinton-Shellsburg 1-13 (Davis 0-1, Kreutner 1-4, Meyer 0-2, Griffith 0-3, Johnson 0-3). Team fouls: CCA 11, Vinton-Shellsburg 14. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: CCA 32 (Beck 11), Vinton-Shellsburg 20 (Bruce 6). Assists: CCA 14 (Beck, Stockman 3), Vinton-Shellsburg 5 (Bruce 2). Steals: CCA 8 (Beck 4), Vinton-Shellsburg 10 (Bruce 5). Turnovers: CCA 13, Vinton-Shellsburg 11.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com