Moon scores 24 in Clovers' loss

NEW MARKET -- The Cloverdale Clovers boys' basketball team traveled to New Market Saturday night to play a talented Southmont Mountie team.

Having not played a game since Jan. 3, the Clovers knew defeating the Mounties would be a daunting task.

Cloverdale played a solid game against Southmont, however, a scoring drought that lasted 4:46 in the second quarter doomed the Clovers, as Southmont in turn, scored nine points during the stretch.

Cloverdale was unable to overcome the set back, falling to Southmont, 70-58.

Cloverdale led at the end of the first quarter, 14-12, as Brandon Moon scored 10 points and Eric Kukman added four more for the Clovers, and the Cloverdale defense did a nice job of containing Southmont's talented scorers.

In the second quarter, Kevin Dean, Moon, Link Lovins, and Kukman all scored for the Clovers, and the game was tied at 21-21 with 4:46 left in the first half, then the lid went on the Clover basket.

Cloverdale got good shots in their offense, but nothing would go in the basket, and Southmont outscored Cloverdale in the quarter, 18-7, and Southmont took a 30-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Jacob Clark, Jordan Hayden, and Jason Salter joined their Clover team mates in the score book in the second half, as Cloverdale played evenly with Southmont during the rest of the game.

The Clovers matched the Mounties in nearly every statistical category in the game, except shooting percentage, which favored Southmont, 53 to 48 percent.

That turned out to be the difference in the game.

"Like this game, we've had one bad quarter each game and that has been our problem all season," commented Cloverdale coach Pat Rady after the game.

"We've just got to keep working at getting better."

"We've got to give Southmont credit, they are a fine ball club," added Rady.

Cloverdale was led in scoring by Moon with a game-high 24 points.

Dean followed with 11, Clark and Kukman added six points each, Salter had five, and Hayden and Lovins closed out the Clover scoring with three points each.

Salter led the Clovers in rebounds with eight boards, Salter and Lovins each had two blocked shots, Salter passed for four assists, Hayden dished-out three, and Moon, Dean, and Lovins passed for two assists each, and Moon had five steals, Hayden had two, and Kukman and Salter each had a steal.

In the junior varsity game, Cloverdale lost to Southmont, 19-54.

Mitchell Williams led the Clovers in scoring with six points, followed by Seth Jonte and Jaquan Moore with four each.

Donavan Scisney scored three, and Chuck Strunk closed out the Clover scoring with two points.

The Clovers (3-8, 0-2 WCC) travel to Clay City Tuesday night to play the Eels in a non-conference game. The junior varsity game begins at 6 p.m.

At Southmont

Cloverdale (3-8, 0-2 WCC)

Moon 7-15 5-6 24, Clark 3-7 0-0 6, Strunk 0-0 0-0 0, Kukman 3-5 0-1 6, Hayden 1-5 0-0 3, Dean 4-6 3-3 11, Salter 2-4 0-0 5, Grounds 0-0 0-0 0, Lovins 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 21-44 FG, 9-12 FT, 58 TP.

Southmont (5-4, 1-2 SAC)

Burkett 1-4 3-4 5, Truncone 3-6 0-0 6, Long 1-1 3-4 5, Paris 4-7 1-2 9, Burton 1-2 0-0 3, Rose 1-2 0-0 2, Nichols 1-2 0-0 2, Van Scoyc 9-13 3-5 21, Murray 7-16 3-3 17. Totals 28-53 FG, 13-18 FT, 70 TP.

3-pt. FG - C 7-18 (Moon 5-10, Clark 0-1, Hayden 1-5, Salter 1-2), SM 1-7 (Burkett 0-2, Burton 1-2 0-0 3, Murray 0-3). Rebounds - C 19 (Moon 1, Clark 2, Kukman 3, Dean 3, Salter 8, Lovins 2), SM 20 (Burkett 2, Truncone 2, Paris 3, Rose 4, Nichols 2, Van Scoyc 4, Murray 3). Blocks -- C 5 (Moon 1, Salter 2, Lovins 2), SM 2 (Burkett 1, Rose 1). Assists -- C 13 (Moon 2, Hayden 3, Dean 2, Salter 4, Lovins 2), SM 9 (Truncone 4, Long 1, Paris 1, Murray 3). Steals -- C 9 (Moon 5, Kukman 1, Hayden 2, Salter 1), SM 17 (Truncone 3, Long 3, Paris 3, Burton 1, Rose 2, Van Scoyc 1, Murray 4). Total fouls -- C 14, SM 15. Fouled out -- Dean. Turnovers - C 23, SM 15.

Next game -- The Clovers (3-8, 0-2 WCC) travel to Clay City Tuesday night to play the Eels in a non-conference game. The junior varsity game begins at 6:00.