Clovers overpowered by Patriots

SPENCER – The Cloverdale Clover girls’ basketball team traveled down south to Owen Valley in a Western Indiana Conference game and, after a good start, turned the ball over too many times, allowing the Patriots to build a big lead and cruise to a 53-19 victory.

The Clovers turned the ball 27 times and allowed a couple of big runs by Owen Valley. The loss dropped the Clovers to 1-14 on the season and 0-6 in the conference. Owen Valley improved to 7-1 and 2-3 in the WIC.

“We have got to learn to value the ball better. We are not the type of team that can withstand big runs,” Cloverdale head coach James Wade said.

The Clovers got off to a good start. Aubrey Yoho got a rebound basket and Emily Mann had a driving layup to give the Clovers a quick 4-0 lead, but the Patriots rallied and the teams played a fairly even first quarter. The Patriots would edge out to an 11-7 lead at the first stop in the action.

“I thought we had a really good first quarter. We had a good game plan going in and the girls executed it well early on,” Wade said.

Cloverdale continued to play well even with its offense struggling in the early part of the second quarter. A Mann trey and an Olivia Hemmerling rebound basket had the deficit to just 19-12, but Reagan Martin got loose and hit a pair of three-pointers in the last minute to give the Patriots a 25-12 halftime lead.

“In the second quarter, we had it to within five points with the ball. We missed a couple of free throws and at the end of the half, they went on a run with two threes in the final minute. That kind of took the wind out of our sails,” Wade said.

Owen Valley put the game away in the third quarter. The Patriots scored the first 16 points of the second half, giving them a total of 24-straight points.

That put the nail in the coffin as the Clovers only managed a Kiersten Wade three-pointer late in the quarter as they trailed 43-15 heading into the fourth quarter.

Cloverdale could get some good looks at the basket, when it did not turn the ball over, but the Clovers had 27 turnovers on the night limiting their opportunities.

“If we could figure out a way to play four quarters like we do at times in a game, we could compete. Depth is an issue; we get tired and our legs go,” Wade said.

The two teams ran out the fourth period as the Patriots outscored the Clovers again, 10-4, in the final quarter and finished with the 53-19 margin.

Owen Valley’s Martin led all scorers with 20 points. Taylor York added 12 points and Maddi Kay chipped in with 10 for the Patriots. Mann led the Clovers with 8 points.

Cloverdale will take on another tough opponent on short rest as it will travel to county and conference rival Greencastle on Saturday for a 2 p.m. matinee game.

CLOVERDALE (19) –Wade 1-2 0-0 3, Nees 0-3 0-0 0, Mann 3-14 1-4 8, Yoho 1-5 0-0 2, Nichols 1-4 0-0 2, Bernard 1-2 0-0 2, Ford 0-2 0-0 0, Hemmerling 1-3 0-0 2, Schmidt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 8-35 FG, 1-4 FT, 19 TP.

OWEN VALLEY (53) – Smith 1-4 1-2 3, York 4-8 3-4 12, Kay 3-9 4-4 10, Ciresi 2-5 0-0 4, Martin 8-28 0-1 20, Greene 1-4 0-0 2, King 1-2 0-0 2, Owen 0-0 0-0 0, Hamm 0-0 0-0 0, Knierien 0-0 0-0 0, Amick 0-0 0-0 0, Burkhart 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-61 FG, 8-11 FT, 53 TP.

3-point shooting – CHS 2-9 (Wade 1-2, Nees 0-2, Mann 1-4, Hemmerling 0-1), OV 5-15 (Smith 0-2, Burkhart 0-1, York 1-2, Martin 4-10) Rebounds – CHS 30 (Wade 1, Nees 1, Mann 4, Yoho 6, Nichols 4, Bernard 4, Ford 1, Hemmerling 2) OV – 39 (Smith 1, York 4, Kay 5, Ciresi 8, Martin 12, King 1, Owen 1) FG Pct. – CHS 22.9, OV 32.8. FT Pct. – CHS 25.0, OV 72.7. Turnovers – CHS 27, OV 11.