CLAYTON--Cloverdale's shooters went deep-freeze cold midway through the fourth quarter Friday, sending the Clovers into a tailspin that sent them down to a 54-50 loss to Cascade in a West Central Conference boys game on the Cadets' court

Monday, January 16, 2006

CLAYTON--Cloverdale's shooters went deep-freeze cold midway through the

fourth quarter Friday, sending the Clovers into a tailspin that sent them down to a 54-50 loss to Cascade in a West Central Conference boys game on the Cadets' court.

Cloverdale (6-3, 1-1 WCC) had sizzled in the third period and early in

the fourth, particularly on long-range 3-pointers, to take a 45-40 lead.

The Clovers went over four minutes without scoring before Chase Haltom

netted a 3-pointer with 23.6 seconds to play. Even with those points, Cloverdale trailed, 52-48.

Cascade (7-5, 4-0 WCC) clinched it with Kevin Pusateri's two free throws

at 21.6. Michael Neese made a basket from inside in the closing seconds for

Cloverdale, which scored only five points down the stretch.

The Clovers outscored the Cadets 20-9 in a third period in which they

were 7-of-16 from the field and 6-of-11 on 3-pointers, led by Kyle McCammon's

4-of-7.

Cascade went from seven behind at the half to four up entering the fourth

period.

Cascade scored seven points early in the fourth, but Cloverdale kept pace

on three free throws by Neese, a 3-pointer by Neese from the corner and

Haltom's lane-penetrating 12-foot jumper for a 45-40 advantage.

The Clovers didn't have another 3 in the period. They were 4-of-20 from

the field in the fourth quarter, including 2-of-12 on 3-pointers.

Even unable to score, Cloverdale held the lead for two minutes. Pesateri,

a quick and magnificent jumping 6-2 senior center who scored 24 points, got

inside for a basket that lifted the Cadets into the lead, 46-45, with 3:10

remaining.

Cloverdale kept it a one possession game for over two more minutes.

Cascade's Brad Suter made a 17-foot jumper at 1:24 to expand the lead to 48-45.

The Clovers just kept misfiring and Cascade finally took control on two

free throws by Kyle Foster with 45 seconds left.

"I was pleased with our defense overall," Cloverdale coach Pat Rady said.

Cloverdale's offense was another story. The Clovers were 18-of-62 from

the floor, 10-of-30 on 3-pointers.

The Clovers hadn't played since Dec. 20. The layoff might have taken

something out of them in the fourth quarter.

"We need to get our offense running sharper," Rady said. "In the next

couple of weeks, maybe we can get back to where we were in December. It's been 24 days since our last game and we need some games to get back into playing

shape."

Cascade took a strong hold on the WCC championship with the victory and

diminished Cloverdale's hopes considerably with the victory.

"This was a good win for them," Rady said. "It puts them in the driver's

seat in the conference."

Cascade was 20-of-41 from the floor and 2-of-7 on 3-pointers. The Cadets'

style of play, trying to get inside, got them to the line 16 times and they

made 12, including six straight in the final 45 seconds.

Cascade also held the edge in rebounding, 27-26. Cloverdale's strength

was not making mistakes handling the ball. The Clovers had only five turnovers

to 11 for Cascade.

Down 24-17 at the half, Cloverdale 14-3 run in the third period.

McCammon's back-to-back high-arching 3-pointers boosted the Clovers into the lead for the first time, 34-32, with 1:37 left in the third.

After Pusateri made a free throw for Cascade, Haltom made a

momentum-building 22-foot 3-pointer from the top of the key to close out the period leading 37-33.

Haltom led Cloverdale with 18 points, but was an uncharacteristic 7-of-24

(4-of-12 3-pointers) fromt he field. McCammon was 4-of-13 on 3-pointers and

missed all four of his 2-pointers as he scored 12 points. The Clovers' reliance from the outside also only got them to the free throw line for five shots and they made four.

At Cascade

Cloverdale 11 6 20 13--50

Cascade 13 11 9 21--54

Cloverdale: Neese 4-10 3-3 13, Trinkle 0-1 1-2 1, Lovins 1-1 0-0 2, McCammon

4-17 4-13 12, Haltom 7-24 0-0 18, Cheatham 1-5 0-0 2, Dean 1-4 0-0 2, Blair

0-0 0-0 0, Totals 18-62 FG, 4-5 FT, 50 TP.

Cascade: Austin 2-6 2-3 6, Pusateri 0-16 6-8 24, Foster 3-5 2-2 8, Lovvorn

1-3 0-1 2, Daugherty 1-4 0-0 2, Suter 3-5 2-2 10, Galyan 1-1 0-0 2, Mink 0-1 0-0

0, Totals 20-41 FG, 12-16 FT, 54 TP.

3-pt. FG: Cloverdale 10-30 (Haltom 4-12, McCammon 4-13, Neese 2-5), Cascade

2-7 (Suter 2-3, Daugherty 0-2, Lovvorn 0-1, Mink 0-1). Rebounds: Cloverdale 26

(Dean 7), Cascade 27 (Austin 7). Assists: Cloverdale 3 (Neese 2), Cascade 4

(Daugherty 2). Block shots: Cloverdale 2 (Lovins 1, Dean 1), Cascade 2 (Austin

1, Foster 1). Total fouls: Cloverdale 12, Cascade 10. Fouled out: None.

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