Turnover-free first half sends Clear Creek Amana girls’ basketball to 8-0

TIFFIN — Not a travel, nor a double-dribble. Not a bad pass, nor a flubbed catch.

Not a single, solitary first-half turnover.

“Really?” Clear Creek Amana girls’ basketball coach P.J. Sweeney said. “I knew we took good care of the ball, but I didn’t realize that.

“That ... that just doesn’t happen.”

It happened Tuesday night.

The Class 4A second-ranked Clippers were spotless ball handlers through the first 18 minutes, 32 seconds and played exemplary ball overall throughout a 67-42 Wamac Conference West Division win over 3A No. 8 Benton Community at Clear Creek Amana High School.

“That’s awesome,” Sam Schrage said. “We’ve had our fair share of turnovers. We’ve been trying to hold them down, and we did that tonight.”

The Clippers take an 8-0 record (2-0 Wamac West) into the holiday break. Sure, they’ll say there’s always room for improvement, but this was a masterpiece.

“The Wamac West ... you’ve got to go through Benton,” Sweeney said. “They beat us last year, twice, by double digits.”

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Averie Lower led the Clippers with 18 points and nine rebounds. Evans added 13. Both are sophomores.

As efficient as the Clippers were, Sweeney pointed toward a first-quarter defensive change as a pivotal moment.

“We struggled the first couple of minutes,” he said. “In our 1-3-1 (zone), they found a few openings. We went to (man-to-man), the girls had their assignments there, and everything was contested after that.”

Trailing 9-6 with 3 minutes left in the first quarter, the Clippers got back-to-back 3-pointers from Schrage to close the period, then outscored the Bobcats (6-3, 1-1) by a 26-5 margin in the second for a 38-14 halftime lead.

CCA scored the final 19 points of the half.

The Clippers were 11 of 23 from distance, with Schrage and Evans drilling three 3-pointers apiece.

“Our posts were getting doubled, they did a great job kicking out, and we were making shots,” Schrage said.

Evans’ 13 points highlighted 27 from the CCA bench.

“I thought I could beat anybody on the court,” Evans said. “Confidence is key for me. I try to focus on shooting and passing both, getting my teammates open so they can get that shot.”

That first turnover, for the record, came at the 5:28 mark of the third quarter, a charging foul called on Ava Locklear. CCA finished with five turnovers, including two in the final minute.

The Clippers enacted the continuous clock at 62-26 with 6:03 to go.

Schrage and Kennedy Stratton added nine points apiece. Locklear posted six points and nine boards.

Emma Townsley led Benton with 13 points and four assists. McKenna Kramer scored nine.

Clear Creek Amana 67, Benton Community 42

At Tiffin

BENTON COMMUNITY (42): Emma Townsley 6-13 0-0 13, Piper Nelson 3-9 0-0 6, McKenna Kramer 3-9 2-4 9, Aubrey Kelly 1-6 1-1 3, Zoey Junge 1-3 0-0 2, Hannah Greiner 1-2 0-0 2, Sophia Seeck 1-2 2-2 5, Jessa DeMoss 1-2 0-0 2, Avery Kramer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-47 5-7 42.

CLEAR CREEK AMANA (67): Kaylee Stratton 1-4 0-0 3, Averie Lower 8-14 0-0 18, Sam Schrage 3-5 0-0 9, Bliss Beck 0-1 4-6 4, Ava Locklear 3-7 0-2 6, Kiera Rogers 0-2 0-0 0, Lena Evans 4-7 2-2 13, Kennedy Stratton 4-7 0-0 9, Addesyn Campbell 1-1 0-0 3, Melissa Sweeney 0-1 0-0 0, Lexi Moran 0-0 0-0 0, Kelsey Leathers 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 25-51 6-10 67.

Benton Community 9 5 12 16 — 42

Clear Creek Amana 12 26 19 10 — 67

3-point goals: Benton 3-16 (Townsley 1-3, Nelson 0-1, M. Kramer 1-6, Kelly 0-3, Junge 0-1, Seeck 1-1, A. Kramer 0-1), CCA 11-23 (Kay. Stratton 1-3, Lower 2-7, Schrage 3-4, Locklear 0-1, Rogers 0-1, Evans 3-4, Kenn. Stratton 1-2, Campbell 1-1). Team fouls: Benton 8, CCA 8. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Benton 28 (Greiner 5), CCA 31 (Lower, Locklear 9). Assists: Benton 7 (Townsley 4), CCA 11 (Kay. Stratton, Locklear 3). Steals: Benton 2 (Greiner, DeMoss), CCA 6 (Kenn. Stratton 2). Turnovers: Benton 11, CCA 5.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com