CLINTON —
Muscatine closed the first quarter on a 13-point run, holding Clinton scoreless for more than four minutes as it turned a deficit into a lead it never lost in a 61-20 girls basketball victory Friday night at Yourd Gymnasium.
The Muskies, ranked eighth in Iowa Class 5A, also scored the first four points of the second quarter while holding Clinton scoreless for more than two more minutes.
“My girls never backed down all night and are going through growing pains but are improving each and every day,” Clinton coach Mike Halac said.
When McKenzie Petersen (10 points, six rebounds) banked in a shot midway through the opening quarter, Clinton had its first and only lead of the night, 6-4.
The Muskies (9-1, 6-0 Mississippi Athletic Conference) didn’t let it last long.
Senior all-state player Leti Lerma (game-high 15 points) tied the game at 6 and started the 13-0 run. Shayln Greenhaw converted on a three-point play, Lerma scored in the lane but missed a free throw and Megan Thiesse and Lerma closed the quarter with 3-point baskets for a 17-6 advantage.
The Muskies stretched the lead to 21-6 before Petersen finally ended the six-minute-plus drought for the Queens.
Muscatine slowly expanded the lead the rest of the night, closing the first half with a 12-0 run, the final eight points coming on layups. Lerma had 11 points at the half.
Muscatine scored the first seven points of the third quarter, led by 32 by the end of it and hit the 35-point mark that started the continuous clock early in the fourth period.
Halac saw some positive signs in the loss.
“Freshman Hannah Burken made her first start of the season and looked very good defensively all night long,” he said. “Another freshman, Emma Gettes, came off the bench and did a great job finding the open man and playing some very solid defense. Senior Libby Mumm, junior Shannon Shovlain, freshman Elle Tubbs and Gracie Buech did a very nice job running the offense and battling defensively.”
Erin Wenzel added seven points and nine rebounds for Clinton.
The Queens (2-8, 1-6) return to action Tuesday with a home game against Davenport West.
MUSCATINE 61, CLINTON 20
MUSCATINE (9-1, 6-0) — Clemens 3 0-0 6, Thiesse 5 0-0 13, Walgren 1 0-0 2, Shoultz 1 0-0 2, Miller 2 0-0 4, Graettinger 3 0-0 7, Lerma 6 2-3 15, Greenhaw 2 1-1 5, Beauchamp 2 1-1 5, Livermore 0 0-0 0, Andrino 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 4-5 61.
CLINTON (2-8, 1-6) — Shannon Shovlain 0 0-0 0, Erin Wenzel 2 3-5 7, Elle Tubbs 0 0-0 0, Hannah Burken 0 0-0 0, Gracie Buech 0 0-0 0, Jordan Nelson 1 1-3 3, Allysa Butt 0 0-0 0, Emma Gettes 0 0-0 0, McKenzie Petersen 5 0-0 10, Libby Mumm 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 4-8 20.
Muscatine 6 6 3 5 — 20
Clinton 17 18 12 14 — 61
3-point goals — Muscatine 5 (Thiesse 3, Graettinger, Lerma). Total fouls — Muscatine 14, Clinton 9. Fouled out — None.
High School Sports
January 5, 2013
No. 8 Muskies run away from River Queens
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