High-octane Clovers keep rolling in enthusiastic environment

Sunday, January 22, 2017

CLAY CITY — If you are an Indiana High School basketball fan, you should have been at Clay City for the match-up between the Eels and the Cloverdale Clovers.

The environment of the night hearkened back to the days of “Hoosier Hysteria,” as Cloverdale defeated the Eels 82-60 in a game that was almost anti-climactic to the atmosphere.

Clay City was celebrating its homecoming in a packed house. The Eel Dome, one of the best old-school gyms in the state, was packed. The junior varsity game got the crowd rocking with a 59-51 double overtime game won by Clay City.

After the crowning of the queen, two Indiana high school legends were at midcourt as former Eel standout Bob Heaton presented Harley Andrews of Terre Haute Gerstmeyer with the Sagamore of the Wabash award.

“This was outstanding. This environment is what high school basketball is all about.” Cloverdale head coach Patrick Rady said. “Homecoming here, the full house, everything.”

The Clovers came into the game on a seven-game winning streak and used a fast start to extend that streak to eight. Pressure defense by the now 13-5 Clovers forced eight first-quarter turnovers by the Eels as Cloverdale jumped ahead 17-3 before settling for a 25-13 first quarter lead.

Jalen Moore had 13 points in the quarter, while Seth Pfaff added eight. The state’s third leading scorer, Cooper Neese, didn’t score in the period and didn’t even attempt a shot until late in the quarter.

“Cooper was more of a facilitator,” Rady said of the Butler recruit who finished the game with a season-low 14 points. “I was pleased we came out and got after it from the opening tip. We haven’t started like that in a few games.”

Cloverdale’s high-octane attack kept the pressure up in the second quarter. Parker Watts hit two three-pointers in the first minute and half of the period and Neese jump-started his offensive game with a steal and a dunk. With Moore on the bench in foul trouble, Neese scored 11 points in the quarter as the Clovers ended the half up 48-33.

The Eels kept themselves in the game with a big quarter by 5-foot-5 freshman Ethan Rogers, who fearlessly drove to the basket time and again and finished with nine of his 19 points in the second period.

“Clay City has some outstanding ball players and good shooters.” Rady said. “We have been stressing we have to play defense with our feet. They kind of got us on our heels and times and we got in some foul trouble.”

The Clovers essentially put the game away early in the third quarter. The Clovers started the quarter with three straight buckets from behind the arc stretched their lead to 57-37. Moore picked up where he left off in the first quarter by scoring 12 points in the third.

Moore scored 33 points to lead all scorers, while Pfaff matched a career high with 18 points and Neese had 14 for Cloverdale.

“We are big believers in you play like you practice. The last week and half, Seth has worked his rear end off in practice. What you saw tonight was a product of that,” Rady said.

CLOVERDALE (82) – Neese 3-12 7-8 14, Winders 2-5 0-0 4, Wilkes 1-2 2-2 5, Pfaff 7-8 4-4 18, Moore 10-21 7-11 33, Watts 3-6 0-0 8, Kelley 0-0 0-0 0, Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Rossok 0-0 0-0 0, Hall 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-55 FG, 20-25 FT, 82 TP.

CLAY CITY (60) – Farris 2-5 0-0 4, Steward 1-7 0-0 2, Crosby 6-10 4-6 19, Yocom 3-3 0-0 7, Farmer 1-4 3-3 5, Rogers 8-11 2-5 19, Adams 0-0 0-0 0, Stagg 0-0 0-0 0, Lafary 1-3 1-2 4, Owens 0-1 0-0 0, Butts 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-44 FG, 10-16 FT, 60 TP.

Cloverdale 25 23 20 14 – 82

Clay City 13 20 12 15 – 60

3-point shooting – CHS 10-27 (Neese 1-7, Winders 0-1, Wilkes 1-1, Moore 6-12, Watts 2-5, Hall 0-1), CC 6-14 (Farris 0-1, Steward 0-3, Crosby 3-3, Yocom 1-1, Farmer 0-1, Rogers 1-2, Lafary 1-2, Owens 0-1) Reb – CHS 26 (Neese 5, Winders 2, Wilkes 4, Pfaff 4, Moore 6, Watts 4), CC 28 (Farris 1, Steward 4, Yocom 3, Farmer 5, Rogers 2, Stagg 1, Lafary 2, Butts 1), FG Pct. – CHS 47.3, CC 52.3. FT Pct. – CHS 54.5, CC 66.7. Turnovers – CHS 4, CC 10.

Next game — Cloverdale (13-5) plays at Greencastle on Tuesday. Clay City fell to 6-10.

In other Saturday basketball:

Monrovia 52, South Putnam 31 — Monrovia broke open a close game by outscoring South Putnam 13-3, sending the Eagles to their eighth straight loss.

Allen Plunkett led the Eagles with 11 points, while Dalton Scott added nine and Thomas Fanning had seven.

MONROVIA (52) — Eller 0 0-0 0, Cottrell 0 0-1 0, Stader 0 0-0 0, Smith 13 1-1 31, Whitaker 1 0-0 2, Seals 0 0-2 0, McCloud 2 0-0 5, Seber 3 4-5 10, Newman 1 0-0 2, Sprague 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 FG, 5-9 FT, 52 TP

SOUTH PUTNAM (31) — Vansickle 0 0-0 0, Schnepp 0 0-0 0, Fanning 2 1-4 7, Plunkett 5 0-0 11, Watson 0 0-0 0, Scott 3 0-0 9, Lesko 1 0-1 2. Totals 11 FG, 3-7 FT, 31 TP

Monrovia 13 12 14 13 — 52

South Putnam 8 8 12 3 — 31

3-point goals — Smith 4, McCloud, Fanning 2, Plunkett, Scott 3.

Next game — South Putnam (3-10) plays at Cascade on Friday in the WIC crossover round. Monrovia improved to 7-7.

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