A solid win and an OT win for the Lions

The Clear Lake boys basketball team played two games last week, but won three!

The Lions have now been awarded a win in their Dec. 18 game at Bishop Garrigan because Garrigan used an ineligible player during the contest. Garrigan had won the game 79-67 and were 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the North Central Conference heading into the 

break but now fall back to 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the conference. Clear Lake was 4-3 overall and in the conference before the break, but improved to 5-2 and moved into a tie for second place in the conference.

The Lions resumed play after the break with a solid 70-42 win over Algona Friday night, then went to the wire with Forest City Saturday afternoon and earned a victory in overtime.  Clear Lake is now 7-2.

CL 70, Algona 42

It took a quarter to get back into the flow of the game, but the Lions outscored the Bulldogs 22-9 in the second quarter to take a 31-24 lead into the halftime break.  They never looked back, holding Algona to just four points in the third quarter, and went on to win, 70-42.

Four Lions finished in double digit scoring.  Luke Schiller led the way with 17 points, fueled by five-for-five shooting from behind the arc.  He was followed by Spencer Davidson with 15, Pete Swenson with 14 and Bryson Hamilton with 10 points.

Swenson had a team-high seven rebounds and a block, while Davis Dieken grabbed six boards to go with his seven points. Hamilton had six rebounds and Davidson grabbed five to finish among the leaders.

Gavin Sheakley’s four points and Chase Lester’s three rounded out the Lion scoring.

“Our defense and rebounding were very good, especially in the second and third quarters,” said Coach Kevin Kahler.  “Offensively, we were able to get out and run and really had some good possessions.”

CL 84, FC 83 (OT)

Luke Schiller calmly sunk two free throws in the final seconds of a non-conference Saturday game with Forest City to help the Lions to an exciting one-point win in overtime.

After trailing 38-31 at the half and 50-33 midway through the third quarter, the Lions battled back to make it a 10-point game (55-45) by the end of the third quarter.  

With determination, the Lions came all the way back to take a three point lead late in the game before Ethan Erdman hit a three-pointer at the end of regulation to put it into overtime. 

  “I thought our kids did a nice job of handling a ton of adversity today,” said Clear Lake Coach Kevin Kahler.  “They came back from 17 down and then had to battle in overtime after the three-pointer at - Read More Via e-Edition