Third ranked girls still perfect after OT victory

(Above) Clear Lake’s Mikayla VanderPloeg looks down the floor after she gets a rebound in Friday night’s game against Algona.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The third ranked (3A) Clear Lake girls ran their record to 5-0 Friday night, but it wasn’t easy.  Algona came to town and tested the Lions in overtime before the home team won, 44-40.  The Lions are now 2-0 in the North Central Conference.  Algona slipped to 1-1.

The Lions were cold from the field throughout the game and found themselves in the unusual position of trailing in the fourth quarter.

“I liked how we attacked the basket to start the game.  We got to the rim and had some good looks but failed to execute and made shots,” said Clear Lake Coach Bart Smith.  “To shoot as poor as we did and still get the win against a good team shows that we can always rely on our defense. We were really good defensively for most of the game and we made their scorers work for every shot they got.”

After a difficult first half, senior Jordyn Barragy hit a three-pointer midway through the final quarter which seemed to spark the team.  The bucket, one of two field goals she made in the game for seven points, put Clear Lake on top.

The Bulldogs surprised the Lions with a late jumper to knot the score at 37-37 and send it to overtime.

The extra period was another low scoring period.  The Lions outscored the Bulldogs, 7-3, to earn the victory.

Sara Faber led all Lion scorers with 15.  Her point total was elevated by her nine free throws.

The Lions made 12 of 19 free throws in the game; their success from the charity stripe helped to keep them on top in the end.

Lexi Fasbender dropped three three-pointers on her way to nine points in the game.  Barragy finished with seven points and Zoe Fasbender had six.  Julia Merfeld added three points, while Chloe Mueller and Gretchen Jones had two apiece.

After traveling to Clarion Tuesday, the Lions will host Humboldt Friday night, Dec. 15.  Monday they will be at Mason City and Tuesday they are at Iowa Falls-Alden for the last game before the holiday break.  Following Friday’s game, Clear Lake and IF-A (4-2) were tied as leaders in the NCC with 2-0 records.

“We had a lot of teachable moments at the end of regulation and in overtime,” said Coach Smith.  “As nerve wracking and tense that those games can get, we stayed pretty composed and calm throughout the game.