Clovers pull out thrilling OT win in PCC consolation

Sunday, December 2, 2012
Cloverdale junior Brandon Dorman blocks a lay-up by Greencastle sophomore Brody Bollman in the 2012 Putnam County Classic consolation game.

The final day of the 2012 Putnam County Classic boys' basketball tournament featured a thrilling comeback, last-second game-tying shot from an unlikely source, a dramatic overtime and a pair of teams battling for their early-season identity.

And that was just in the consolation game.

The Cloverdale Clovers topped Greencastle 51-49 in overtime on Saturday, battling back from a tough first half to claim the thrilling victory.

"We didn't do anything more than what Greencastle did. The two teams played hard at each other and after overtime when the gun sounded, we happened to be ahead," Cloverdale coach Pat Rady said. "This game could have gone either way. We both were right there and we both, if we look at the films, both coaches and the players are going to think, 'Boy, if I could have done this; if I could have done that.'"

There were no signs early that the game would end in such electrifying fashion.

Despite six turnovers, the Clovers had a lead after the first quarter, 9-6. The wheels started to come off in the second.

GHS held its opponent to only four field goal attempts in the second quarter, one a last-second prayer from beyond half court.

The Tiger Cubs took a 21-14 lead into the break, despite shooting only seven-for-24 from the field themselves.

"I thought our kids responded well from last night," GHS coach Troy Greenlee said. "They were pretty disappointed. They're pretty disappointed tonight because of the loss, but there's a lot of good kids with character in there."

As they did Friday against North Putnam, the Clovers began to heat up in the third quarter.

Junior Kedrick Collet poured in eight the team's 18 points in the quarter on three-of-four shooting, sparking the anemic attack and fueling up their defensive energy.

Cloverdale narrowed the gap to only two points after three, 34-32, and more importantly, entered the fourth quarter already in the bonus, having drawn six Tiger Cubs fouls.

"Fouling is something we're going to need to look at," Greenlee said. "We've been fouling way too much in the last three games. We've still got a ways to go."

Sophomore sixth-man Lane Winslow fouled out with 3:29 left, and senior forward Nick Gilliam (with his game-high 16 points) followed a minute later.

For the first time since six minutes remained in the second quarter, the Clovers took the lead with 3:08 left in regulation.

GHS seemed lifeless, with all the momentum heading the Clovers' way and two of its best offensive playmakers fouled out.

But poor free throw shooting kept the Tiger Cubs in the game.

Cloverdale made only eight-of-21 free throws in the second half.

That, combined with a slow pace, allowed Greencastle to hang tight, never trailing by more than three points.

"As I told them before we went out tonight, sometimes that ball," Rady said, "is not going to fall. But defense, your hustle, your attitude, can always be the same.

"And we said, don't worry about missed shots. Some of the guys that struggled then hit some big ones for us towards the end."

The Tiger Cubs had players hit big shots as well.

GHS sophomore Adam Gerard scored with 17 seconds to go and narrowed the gap to 45-44.

Greenlee called a timeout to set his defense. The Tiger Cubs fouled, sending Collet to the line.

Only one-for-four on his free throws at that point, the junior calmly knocked down both and gave the Clovers a three-point lead.

Twelve seconds left. Timeout, Greencastle.

The Tiger Cubs passed the ball around and found sophomore guard Colyn Foxx open at the top of the key.

Foxx was scoreless, 0-2 from the field.

His high-arcing shot sailed over the lunging arm of Collet and nestled into the bottom of the net with only six seconds remaining.

"He hit a big shot; a real big shot" Greenlee said. "It just kind of ended up that he got the ball in his hands. It wasn't really anything that I set up. That last play was set up for Holden (King, a junior). It just ended up in (Foxx's) hand and I feel pretty confident about him shooting it."

As Greencastle celebrated, Cloverdale hustled to get the ball back in for a chance of its own.

Collet streaked to half court and let fly his prayer.

The ball rimmed out. Overtime.

The Clovers scored first on a field goal by Collet, but Greencastle went right back on the attack.

Sophomore Brantson Scott, tied with Collet for a team-high 13 points, was called for his fifth foul.

Senior Nick Cupp, a starter who had rested for much of the second half, was called back into action.

GHS sophomore Brody Bollman drew the foul and sank both his free throws, re-tying the game.

Cloverdale responded and drew a foul.

Ice-cold Nick Cupp was sent to the line.

He knocked down the first and missed the second, but Cloverdale got the ball back.

Junior Brandon Dorman was fouled, his team up one with 26 seconds left.

Dorman missed the first and made the second, his fifth point of the game.

Greencastle called another time out. This time a three-ball would win it.

Again it went to Foxx at the top of the key. He missed short and the buzzer sounded.

"We just didn't make enough plays in the overtime," Greenlee said. "We didn't put the ball in the basket enough."

Thrilling weekend wins are starting to become a Cloverdale specialty.

"That's two Saturdays in a row now," Rady said, referring to a last-second win over Riverton Parke on Nov. 24. "You can't put your hat on anything this early. It's a long, long season and you have to be ready."

Cloverdale and Greencastle meet again on Friday at GHS at 7:30 p.m.



At Greencastle
Putnam County Classic -- Consolation
Greencastle -- 6 15 13 13 -- 2 -- 49
Cloverdale -- 9 5 18 15 -- 4 -- 51

Individual scoring
Greencastle: Gilliam 5-11, 6-10, 16; Mitchell 2-2, 2-5, 7; Gerard 2-7, 2-2, 7; King 2-9, 0-0, 6; Winslow 3-7, 0-0, 6; Bollman 1-6, 2-2, 4; Fox 1-5, 0-0, 3; Christy 0-5, 0-2, 0; Hughes 0-4, 0-0, 0.
Cloverdale: Collet 4-8, 3-6, 13; Scott 5-8, 3-14, 13; Schroer 5-13, 0-0, 12; Cummings 2-4, 2-6, 6; Dorman 1-5, 3-6, 5; Cupp 0-1, 1-2, 1; Hughes 0-0, 1-2, 1.

Team scoring
G: 16-56, 12-20, 49.
C: 17-36, 13-35, 51.

Rebounds (Offensive)
G: 43 (17).
C: 33 (7).

Three-point shooting
G: 5-18.
C: 4-16.

Turnovers
G: 21
C: 21

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: