Lions manhandle Charles City

(Above) Clear Lake’s Chloe Mueller goes after a lose ball in Tuesday night’s matchup with Charles City.  Also pictured for Clear Lake is Jessica Faber and Erin O’Tool.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The Clear Lake girls basketball team, which gave top ranked (4A) Mason City all it could handle in the season opener, kept their momentum rolling against Charles City.  The Lions manhandled the Comets in a non-conference matchup, 65-35, to even their record at 1-1.

Tuesday night’s game was never in doubt, as the Lion jumped out to a 13-0 lead on six-for-eight shooting.

Clear Lake used the press effectively to start the game and seemed to shake the visitors.  The Comets committed 12 turnovers in the first period, compared to one for the Lions.

By the end of the first quarter the Lion lead was 22-4.

“I was happy with our start tonight.  Our press was effective in many ways.  It allowed us to set the tempo for our girls who might have been a little exhausted from the Mason City game,” said Clear Lake Head Coach Bart Smith. “I was proud of how we responded after a game like Monday, where some girls logged a lot of minutes the night before.”

Top scorer Emily Snelling dropped a hook shot midway through the second quarter for her 14th point in the half.  The Lions went to the locker room with a 40-14 lead.

“Emily had a complete game and that nice to see as a coach, your best player contributing at all aspects of the game,” said Smith.

The Comets seemed to regroup a bit at the break, but their scoring was matched and exceeded by the Lions.

Jessica Faber’s three-pointer with 5:30 remaining in the third period started a running clock.  The third period ended with the Lions ahead, 55-22.

Faber hit another three early in the fourth period on her way to a nine-point night.  She was 3/8 from behind the arc.

Coach Smith said that while his team was having good luck from behind the three-point line, he likes to attack a defense and go with a higher percentage shot.  The Lions were  8/28 shooting three-pointers for 29 percent.  The team shot at 55 percent (17/31) from two-point range.

The Lions continued to be impressive shooting free throws.  They sunk all seven attempts in the game.

The team also dominated the boards, grabbing 26 rebounds to Charles City’s 19.  The Lions committed 11 turnovers, while the Comets had 28 in the game.

Snelling led the team with 14 points, followed by Erin O’Tool and Chloe Mueller, each with 10.  Faber followed with nine, Jordyn Barragy and Ellie Biebesheimer each had six, and McKenna Backhaus scored four.  Gretchen Jones and  Morgan Nauman each had three points.

Snelling and Biebesheimer each pulled down six rebounds. Barragy and Backhaus had four apiece.

Mueller and Faber led the team with five steals apiece. Snelling and O’Tool each had four.

“I thought Erin O’Tool had a nice game in getting steals and converting points of the steals and Chloe Mueller continues to take care of the ball and is doing a nice job of being the floor general,” said Smith.  “I am very pleased with how we are taking care of the ball.  We aren’t trying to force things and are making the right decisions right now.”