Mahurin, Rockville too much for Clovers

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale Clovers got a good look Friday night at how a state championship contender plays basketball.

The Rockville Rox (16-4) scored from the outside and inside, with three-point shots, layups off steals and deft passing under the basket en route to a 68-42 victory on the Cloverdale Senior Night.

Cloverdale (3-16) never led and after the first quarter never got closer than 15 points.

"They're just a very fine ball club, well coached, and hat's off to them. I think sometimes you must face the fact a team is better than you and tonight they (were better than us). (They've) got some athletes and some quickness and they played extremely well tonight," Cloverdale coach Pat Rady said.

This was a match up of former player and coach. Rockville coach Dave Mahurin played for Rady at Terre Haute South. But the match up of teacher and student was never close.

Deflecting and tipping balls away from Cloverdale, Rockville raced to a 25-10 lead in the opening quarter and led 40-18 at halftime.

"Our defense is pretty smothering and that is kind of what we have hung our hats on all year," coach Mahurin said.

Cloverdale made some halftime adjustments, both physically and mentally. Cloverdale held the Rox to nine points in the third quarter, but trimmed just four points off the halftime deficit. Rockville led 49-31 going into the fourth quarter.

"That's what we talked about at halftime. Come out, forget about what's past and let's challenge them. So we've got to build on that. We did do a good job in the third quarter," Rady said.

Cloverdale center Mitch Williams scored four points and grabbed four rebounds in the third and Brody Pfaff came off the bench to net five points.

However, the Clovers still turned the ball over six times in the period. Cloverdale committed 24 turnovers for the night.

"I'm proud we did that and we've got to build on that in the remaining game (at Eminence)," Rady said.

Zach Dorman scored to open the fourth quarter and Cloverdale trailed by 16 points, 49-33. That was the closest the Clovers had been since the first quarter.

But over the next four minutes, Rockville put together a 15-0 run while breaking away to a 53-33 lead with four minutes to play.

"(Rockville) is a fine ball club. They got to the (Class A) semistate last year. (Some) people are saying they should win the state (in Class A). With the material they've got and the way they play I think they are a contender to win the one A state (championship)," Rady said.

Cloverdale shot 44 percent (16-36) from the floor for the game, while Rockville hit 52 percent (27-52).

Cloverdale wraps up the season Thursday at Eminence.

At Cloverdale

Rockville 25 15 9 19 -- 68

Cloverdale 10 8 13 11 -- 42

Rockville (68) -- McFall 3-7 2-2 8, Wittenmyer 4-7 0-0 8, Mahurin 8-17 0-0 16, Ulrich 8-13 2-2 24, Jeffries 4-6 2-2 12, M. Wheeler 0-1 0-0 0, K. Wheeler 0-1 0-0 0, R. Brown 0-0 0-0 0, J. Brown 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-52 FG, 6-6 FT, 68 TP.

Cloverdale (42) -- Fidler 5-7 0-0 12, Z. Dorman 2-7 3-7 7, Williams 4-7 0-1 8, B. Dorman 1-5 0-2 3, Strunk 1-1 1-2 3, Schroer 1-4 1-2 4, Pfaff 2-3 1-1 5, Collett 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 16-36 FG, 6-15 FT, 42 TP.

3Pt. FG: Rv 8-17 (Ulrich 6-9, Jeffries 2-4, M. Wheeler 0-1, K. Wheeler 0-1, McFall 0-2), Cd 4-10 (Fidler 2-2, B. Dorman 1-3, Schroer 1-4, Collett 0-1). Total fouls: Rv 18, Cd 13. Fouled out: Wittenmyer. Technical foul: Cloverdale (Strunk). Rebounds: Rv 25 (Wittenmyer 7), Cd 24 (Z. Dorman, Williams 7). Turnovers: Rv 15, Cd 24. Steals: Rv 10 (Mahurin, McFall, Wittenmyer, Ulrich 2), Cd 8 (Strunk, Schroer, Pfaff 2).

JV Game: Cloverdale won 48-33.

Next game: Cloverdale (3-16) travels to Eminence Thursday.