While Goettlicher added just 2 more points in the second half, her first-half performance helped lead Nicollet to a 79-39 victory and clinch at least share of the Valley Division championship.

“I think just driving in against their defense was going really well,” Goettlicher said. “We worked in practice on a new offense, so I think that was helpful. We just brought really good team energy, and that was really good.”

Nicollet sits at a 15-6 overall record and 10-1 in conference play, which leads the Valley Division with one conference game left. Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther has two losses in conference with two conference games to go.

“I think we just need to keep playing really good as a team like we are,” Goettlicher said. “We’re sharing the ball really well right now. At the end of the game, it’s the score under the Raiders, not what’s under each person’s score. I think that will be really important, to keep being the Aside from her 27 points, Goettlicher added 6 assists and five steals. Cheyenne Klockziem had 24 points and four blocks, while Zoie Rengstorf had 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey Nicollet’s Jazmyn Goettlicher drives to the hoop during a Valley Division girls basketball game against Mankato Loyola at Fitzergald Gym in Mankato.

After an 8-8 start to the game, Nicollet went on a 12-0 run, led by 5 from Goettlicher and a 3 from Rengstorf, to go up 20-8. Nicollet went on another 20-2 run, with Goettlicher hitting two 3-pointers, to go up 43-19. The Raiders finished out the first half with an 11-0 run, with Goettlicher added two more layups, to go up 52-22 before a late 3 by Loyola’s Amelia Speckel cut the score to 52-25.

While Speckel opened the second half with a layup, Klockziem got going with two layups for a 56-27 lead. Klockziem added an and-one and a pair of free throws to increase the lead to 61-29. Klockziem kept it going late in the half with two more layups and Kamryn Truebenbach hit a 3 for a 77-35 lead before both teams put in the reserves for the rest of the game.

Nicollet hosts Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons on Thursday.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey Nicollet’s Shelby Beyer looks for a layup during a Valley Division girls basketball game against Mankato Loyola Tuesday at Fitzgerald Gym in Mankato.