Clearview may have found the offense it was looking for.
The host Clippers exploded for 30 points in the third quarter and rolled to a 58-27 Patriot Athletic Conference Stripes Division win over Oberlin on Dec. 23.
“We came out of the locker room positive. But I wasn’t all that positive going into it,” Clearview coach Nick Dimacchia said. “It was a brief halftime talk and it was all positive. I said, ‘Let’s go get a win.’ These kids came out and played hard.
“It was nice to see our kids have some fun on the basketball court and play basketball like I thought we knew how to play.”
The first half wasn’t easy for Clearview (2-5) with Oberlin (0-10, 0-7) staying close. Aszure Chamberlin scored eight of her team-high 10 points in the second quarter as the Phoenix trailed, 18-17, at the half.
The second half was a different story.
Clearview’s defense proved to be its best offense, forcing turnovers and allowing the Clippers to get into a transition offense.
It led to a 14-0 run, including a Clippers’ five-point possession. The run featured Clearview with a more aggressive approach on offense – getting the ball deep into the lane. Whether it was good ball movement or drives to the basket, the Clippers were playing to their strengths.
After Oberlin scored a pair of free throws, Clearview closed out the quarter with a 16-5 run. During the quarter, the Clippers forced 11 Phoenix turnovers – most of which led to transition baskets. The transition baskets had an exclamation point with Brandyce Smith grabbing a rebound and going the length of the court of a buzzer-beating layup.
Five players scored for Clearview, but it was the play of Mia Inchaurregui on the defensive end that Dimacchia said provided a spark.
“She (Inchaurregui) didn’t score, but she came off the bench and was the spark that we needed,” he said. “I thought she played really well and gave us a huge spark. Everybody else was fired up.”
Tahjanae Flowers-Coleman scored 12 of her game-high 19 points in the third quarter. But she said it was a team effort to help Clearview end its five-game losing streak.
“First half, we started off slow,” Flowers-Coleman said. “We can play defense, but we knew that we had to take it in on the offensive end.
“Once we see our teammates were getting into it, we started feeling better about each other. We just wanted to win this game.”
Smith had 14 and freshman Vanecia Billings added 12. According to Dimacchia, it was the first time all season that Clearview had three players in double digits. In addition to the trio, five others reached the scorebook.
After an emotional beginning and staying close in the first half, Oberlin let things get the best of them in the second half, according to coach Kari Cooley.
“The first half was just a spark,” Cooley said. “For whatever reason, the girls seem to think Clearview is kind of our rival … they wanted to bring something to the table and they did.
“They let their emotions get the better half of them … they weren’t taking care of the ball. They let their emotions carry them away.”
Oberlin travels to Kirtland Dec. 28, while Clearview hosts Sandusky.
