Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

MOUNT VERNON – When a team struggles offensively in a game sometimes the tendency can be to look inward at what went awry.

Following a 65-47 road loss at Mount Vernon on Tuesday Clear Creek Amana coach Brandon Clubb instead gave credit to the Mustangs.

“Hats off to them, I thought they played really good defense,” Clubb said. “They had a great defensive plan and we got out of our rhythm a little bit.”

Mount Vernon did what few teams have found a way to do this season – slow down a high-flying Clear Creek Amana offense.

The Mustangs limited Clear Creek Amana to a season-low scoring output and 34 percent shooting while snapping a six-game Clipper winning streak.

Clear Creek Amana (14-6) entered averaging better than 70 points per game, including 73 per contest during its six-game winning streak, but went just 2-of-22 from 3-point range in its first loss since January 15.

“For as many good things as we did I thought we did them out of rhythm,” Clubb said. “It was really tough for us to get anything going consistently. I thought they played really good defense tonight.”

Mount Vernon (13-5) closed the first quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 12-7 lead and never trailed again.

After jumping to a 7-2 lead Clear Creek Amana went scoreless for the final 4:17 of the opening quarter while falling into an early hole.

“We just had to work really hard for everything tonight,” Clubb said. “It wasn’t as easy as it normally was and it didn’t allow us to get into rhythm. No one consistently could do what they were good at. They did a great job of taking us out of what we do well.”

Mount Vernon led 29-20 at the half by as many as 11 in the third quarter before Clear Creek Amana closed the gap to 39-35 at the end of the third quarter.

The Mustangs responded with a 7-0 run in the opening 49 seconds of the fourth quarter to extend the lead back to 11 and never let the Clippers get closer than nine the rest of the game.

“I thought we’d play better offense tonight, I really did,” Clubb said. “I thought we could slow them down but I didn’t think they’d slow us down that much.”

Kellan Haverback led Mount Vernon with 25 points while Seth Rushford had 15 points Luke Rushford had 14 for the Mustangs.

Beckett Boeset had 23 points and nine rebounds for Clear Creek Amana and Carson Meskimen had 16 points for the Clippers.

Clear Creek Amana held a 35-25 rebounding edge including 16 offensive rebounds but committed 16 turnovers.

The Clippers close the regular season with home games against Waverly-Shell Rock on Friday and Fairfield on Tuesday.

“I think we are dangerous, normally we have at least three guys that are going to go off and tonight it was only two,” Clubb said. “Given that I think we are dangerous any night out as long as we can guard somebody well.”

Clear Creek Amana               7  13  15  12   –  47

Mount Vernon                      12  17  10  26   –  65

Clear Creek Amana (47) – Beckett Boeset 9-23 5-6 23, Kayden Howe 0-3 0-0 0, Carson Meskimen 6-11 2-2 16, Noah Evans 0-3 0-0 0, Myles Howell 2-10 0-0 4, Alex DuBay 2-6 0-0 4, Totals 19-56 7-8 47.

Mount Vernon (65) – Stratton Ellyson 0-1 1-2 1, Luke Rushford 4-9 4-4 14, Mason Cossolotto 0-1 0-0 0, Kellen Haverback 8-16 9-10 25, Brogan Meyer 3-4 0-0 6, Jayden Scieszinski 2-2 0-0 4, Maddox Thede 0-1 0-0 0, Tommy Rhomberg 0-1 0-0 0, Seth Rushford 6-9 1-3 15, Totals 23-44 15-19 65.

3-point field goal – CCA 2-22 (Boeset 0-7, Howe 0-2, Evans 0-2, Howell 0-4, Meskimen 2-7), MV 4-14 (Ellyson 0-1, L. Rushford 2-5, S. Rushford 2-5, Rhomberg 0-1, Haverback 0-1, Cossolotto 0-1). Rebounds – CCA 35 (Howell 9, Boeset 9), MV 25 (Haverback 7). Turnovers – CCA 16, MV 11. Total fouls – CCA 22, MV 9. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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