Jenna Twedt, Benton sizzle from the perimeter in a 51-36 win over Clear Creek Amana

VAN HORNE — Jenna Twedt found herself in end-of-the-shot-clock, let-it-fly mode.

“I thought it might be a little short,” she said. “I knew the shot was on target. I just didn’t know if I had the legs.”

In a microcosm of the entire game, Twedt — and her team — had it all.

Twedt nailed that 27-foot shot-clock buzzer-beater in the second quarter of a 25-point gem, and Class 3A third-ranked Benton Community tipped 4A No. 7 Clear Creek Amana, 51-36, in a Wamac Conference West Division girls’ basketball showdown Tuesday night at Benton Community High School.

“(CCA) is a really good team, and they’ve had our number the last few years,” Benton Coach Jeff Zittergruen said. “I’m proud our effort, especially our defense.”

The arc was the story. Benton (9-1 overall, 2-1 Wamac West) splashed 10 of 16 shots from 3-point range; CCA (6-2, 2-1) was 0-for-14.

“As a team, we’re really clicking right now,” Twedt said after the Bobcats won their eighth consecutive game. “Everybody is confident. Nobody is scared to shoot, and that helps us on the defensive end.”

A Kirkwood Community College commit, Twedt hit 4 of 6 from long distance. McKenna Kramer was 3 for 4, Emma Townsley 2 for 3.

Zoey Junge made her only attempt from distance, late in the first quarter, to give the Bobcats the lead for good, 12-10.

Twedt’s beat-the-clock shot from beyond the top of the key made it 26-15, and it was 32-21 at halftime.

Benton’s largest lead was 47-30 with 6:30 remaining.

“The first half, we were able to get everybody involved,” Zittergruen said. “At halftime, we told the girls, ‘Don’t give them good looks.’

“Everybody has those nights in which the ball doesn’t go in, and we caught them on one of those nights.”

Kramer added nine points for Benton. Townsley posted eight points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Ava Locklear paced CCA with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Benton Community 51, Clear Creek Amana 36

At Van Horne

CLEAR CREEK AMANA (36): Sam Schrage 2-6 2-4 6, Olivia Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Bliss Beck 3-6 2-4 8, Reese Stockman 0-1 2-2 2, Ava Locklear 8-17 2-4 18, Averie Lower 1-10 0-0 2, Kaylee Stratton 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 14-44 8-14 36.

BENTON COMMUNITY (51): Emma Townsley 2-4 2-2 8, Piper Nelson 2-5 2-2 6, McKenna Kramer 3-4 0-0 9, Jenna Twedt 8-20 5-6 25, Zoey Junge 1-1 0-0 3, Addison Phillips 0-1 0-0 0, Aubrey Kelly 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-36 9-10 51.

Clear Creek Amana 10 11 9 6 — 36

Benton Community 14 18 10 9 — 51

3-point goals: CCA 0-14 (Schrage 0-3, Miller 0-1, Locklear 0-2, Lower 0-8), Benton 10-16 (Townsley 2-3, Kramer 3-4, Twedt 3-6, Junge 1-1, Phillips 0-2, Kelly 0-1). Team fouls: CCA 8, Benton 12. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: CCA 25 (Locklear 9), Benton 26 (Townsley 7). Assists: CCA 3 (Stockman 2), Benton 12 (Townsley, Twedt 3). Steals: CCA 4 (four with 1), Benton 4 (Twedt 2). Turnovers: CCA 7, Benton 10.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com