Clovers, Eagles to tip off girls’ hoop season tonight

Cloverdale and South Putnam will open the girls’ high school basketball season for Putnam County schools tonight as they meet at Central Elementary starting at 7:30 p.m.

The game was scheduled for South Putnam’s regular home court, but a renovation project is not yet completed.

Greencastle and North Putnam will open their seasons Thursday on the road, with the Tiger Cubs playing at Cascade in the first game of the Tod Windlan era and the Cougars traveling to North Vermillion.

The South-Cloverdale game has been the regular-season finale for both teams for several years, but was moved to begin the season to avoid the possibility of three matchups in the final two weeks of the season.

The schools are in the same sectional, and are currently in different divisions of the Western Indiana Conference — making a potential crossover matchup also possible.

The teams also both played in the Monrovia Holiday Tourney until last year, making a possibility of five meetings in the same season. Cloverdale and South Putnam played four times in the 2016-17 season.

Both coaches like the change.

Cloverdale had opened its season with Turkey Run, which was a traditionally weak opponent in recent times, for the past few seasons.

“We like opening with South Putnam,” Clover coach Matthew Langdon said. “Our girls have been even more motivated than usual for the first game.”

South Putnam’s Brian Gardner agreed.

“Although it seems like we draw them every year in the first round of the county, like this year, it’s a better opener for us,” Gardner said. “It’s a great rivalry, and it’s better to play them early than really late in the season. Our girls are looking forward to it.”

GIRLS

Cloverdale (0-0) at South Putnam (0-0)

The coaches: Matthew Langdon is in his eighth year at Cloverdale. Brian Gardner is in his fourth year at South Putnam.

Starting time: 7:30 p.m.

Special note: The game is being played at Central Elementary (just east of the high school) due to the gymnasium floor remodeling project not yet being completed.

History: The teams played twice last year. South Putnam won 55-50 in the first round of the county tournament and 61-45 in the final game of the regular season. South Putnam holds a 24-10 lead in the series over the past 15 years.

Key players: Senior center Tori Combs of Cloverdale averaged 14.0 points and 12.7 rebounds per game last year, while junior guard Sammie Shrum averaged 12.4 points and 6.0 rebounds.

For South Putnam, senior center Caitlin Capps averaged 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last year, while junior guard Lexi Vanihel averaged 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.

ICGSA preseason girls’ 2A poll

Also receiving votes: North Knox, Crawford County, Linton Stockton, Wapahani, Frankton, Perry Central, Elwood, Covington, Hammond Bishop Noll, Tipton, Delphi, Austin, Switzerland County, Lafayette Central Catholic, Cloverdale, Providence, Fort Wayne Canterbury.