OREGON – The Amboy Lady Clippers swept through the Oregon Tip-off Tournament unscathed to win the championship of the 12-team event.

The Lady Clippers started off the tournament with an easy 64-27 victory over Genoa-Kingston on Nov. 15. AHS led 19-10 after the opening stanza and 35-13 at the half.

Amboy had four players in double figures, led by Abi Payne and Noelle Jones with 16 points apiece. Payne added a team-high six assists and three steals. Jones tied for the most rebounds with 10 and also had three assists. Mallory Powers and Rachal Lachat each dropped in 10 points, while Powers handled six rebounds and dished out three assists. Also sparking the win were Kyleigh Donna (10 rebounds, two points, three assists, five blocked shots), Breanna Fisher (five rebounds), Ashley Althaus (six points, four rebounds, three steals), Kelsey Stewart (two points) and Hope Sachs (two points).

***

In game two, Amboy pulled away in the second half to defeat Kewanee, 54-31, on Nov. 16. The Lady Clippers held a five-point lead (16-11) after the first quarter and an eight-point bulge (25-17) at intermission. AHS doubled up Kewanee, 16-8, in the third frame to pull away.

Payne paced the squad with 19 points, seven assists and three steals. Donna was next with nine points, six caroms and three blocks, Powers contributed seven points, five assists and five steals, while Fisher pumped in seven points and topped the team with 10 rebounds. Lachat (six points, five rebounds, four assists) and Jones (five points, six rebounds, three assists) each had balanced games for the Lady Clippers.

***

Amboy played a pair of games on Nov. 17, starting with a 44-20 shellacking of Oregon. After leading by nine at the break, the Lady Clippers went on a tear in the third quarter and owned a 35-17 lead with just eight minutes left to play.

Three players hit the double-digit scoring mark for AHS. Payne fired in 14 points and had four assists, Jones supplied 11 markers, and Donna drilled 10 points and snared 10 rebounds. Powers aided the cause with five points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Fisher yanked down five boards and tallied three points.

***

Spring Valley Hall and Amboy met up for the tournament title and the Lady Clippers prevailed, 60-49. The win avenged a 17-point loss to Hall last year. It was a game of many lead changes, but AHS outscored the Lady Devils, 18-9, in the fourth quarter to post the triumph.

There were a lot of heroes in the game and it was a true team victory. Donna poured in 20 points to lead the charge and she added five rebounds. Powers had a balanced game with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, and she played outstanding defense for the fourth straight game. Also, Payne contributed nine points, eight assists and three steals, Jones had seven points and five assists, and Lachat added six points.

F-S Lady Clippers

claim championship

Amboy’s freshman-sophomore team also won four straight games to win the tournament title. The Lady Clippers took care of Mendota, 40-31, in the championship game.

Gabby Jones led the offense with nine points, followed by Tori Daniels and Madelyn McLaughlin with eight points apiece. Olivia Dinges drained a pair of three-pointers and ended with seven tallies.