Ava Locklear shines in Clear Creek Amana girls basketball's 58-37 win over top-ranked Solon
Strong. Finesse. Calm. Collected.
Those are four words that Ava Locklear used to describe her basketball style.
They're fitting because Locklear led No. 2 Clear Creek Amana (6-0) girls basketball to a big 58-37 win over top-ranked Solon on Tuesday, handing the Spartans (6-1) their first loss of the season.
"This is a big win...It was loud in there, the atmosphere was great, there was a huge crowd so I think we're just super hyped to have pulled it out."
The Clippers heard the noise and delivered.
After being down seven points in the first half, they bounced back and went on a 38-10 run the rest of the way. Their defense, coupled with Locklear's scoring, split the game open in the fourth quarter as they held the Spartans to just two points in the final eight minutes of the game.
Locklear made an immediate impact in the fourth quarter, hitting a turnaround jumper to start a 7-0 run. She later scored on three straight possessions and capped it off with a pair of free throws to finish with 10 points in the quarter.
Locklear finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds while Averie Lower added 13 points to extend the Clippers' record to 6-0. Solon's Callie Levin had 20 points.
"I mean Callie [Levin's] a great player so anytime you score on her, I mean it's kind of like a morale booster," Locklear said. "You can get a little bit of confidence when you score on her because she's just a great player and then when you hear the crowd, it's just so fun."
A calm leader
Following a first-quarter turnover by CCA's Kaylee Stratton and a 3-pointer by Solon at the other end, Locklear glanced Stratton's way, shared a few words, and gave her a reassuring pat on the back.
It was a clear sign of Locklear's leadership, a trait that she aims to instill within the team. Being one of eight seniors for the Clippers, Locklear's goal is to foster a culture centered around team basketball.
"There's still some of us who are going to be here next year and I kind of want to show them and create a culture here of playing together and not being selfish," Locklear said. "And when you're down, not getting in a bad mentality and just keep your head up and keep pushing."
CCA head coach PJ Sweeney said Locklear's leadership was evident in her double-double performance on Tuesday. He adds that she leads by example with her dominance on the basketball court.
"They all look up to her whether you're a freshman, sophomore, junior (or) senior," Sweeney said. "They all look up to Ava. They respect her [and] everything that she does."
Her work ethic is strong
There's always room for improvement in basketball, and that's motivation for Locklear.
It's what drives her on the court.
Getting better on the court matters for the Saginaw Valley State commit. She wants to add to her skillset by getting faster and becoming a threat behind the three-point line.
"Going into college, I'm a little undersized. I might get mixed up with some girls that are bigger than me so I want to be able to extend my game to be quicker so I can take them off the dribble ... Just putting more stuff into my toolbox that I can use especially moving up."
Locklear not only trains at Clear Creek Amana High School but also puts in the extra work at Court 45, a program led by trainer Darryl Moore. It's what nurtured her love for basketball.
"I think he's really helped me develop my game in different ways," Locklear said. "I think he's really just like helped me and that's kind of what gave me a love for basketball."
Her love for basketball showed during her double-digit performance against Solon.
The Clippers will face Vinton-Shellsburg (2-4) on Friday. Solon takes the court again Friday against Marion (6-1).
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: CCA girls basketball tops Solon behind Ava Locklear's 26 points
