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Clovers take it to the basket, sink free throws to beat Tiger Cubs
Greencastle did what it hoped, setting the pace of its game against Cloverdale and slowing the aggressive Clovers down, but Cloverdale turned it on late, applying pressure with defense and sinking free throws down the stretch to beat the host Tiger Cubs in the opening game of the 2013 Boys' Basketball Putnam County Classic, 60-56.
Junior Marquise Moore and freshman Cooper Neese combined to make 23-of-27 free throws in the game, and nine-of-10 in the fourth quarter, to bring the Clovers back and into the lead.
They finished with 47 points on just 30 field goal attempts.
Greencastle led by two points after the first quarter and four at the half, led by junior Brody Bollman, who scored 15 of his team-high 21 points in the first half. He also had 11 rebounds.
Cloverdale looked frustrated and stagnant offensively, particularly when junior forward Brantson Scott was on the bench because of foul trouble, as the Tiger Cubs took care of the ball and avoided letting the Clovers speed up the pace.
With Scott back in the game in the second half, the Clovers worked in some man-to-man defense with Scott taking over the duty of slowing Bollman.
Scott did his job, netting eight points and eight rebounds after the break and keeping Bollman to two-for-nine from the field.
Sophomore Ryan Coble's outside shooting kept the Tiger Cubs in the lead after the third. He had 16 points and made four-of-seven 3s in the game. He also had six steals and, undersized at 5-11, grabbed seven rebounds.
Cloverdale entered the fourth trailing by two, but had forced the Tiger Cubs into six team fouls in the third and entered the fourth with nervous aggression.
After 3:10 scoreless minutes to open the final period, Moore hit a jumper to tie the game and, one minute later, added a free throw for the lead.
Senior Holden King led the Tiger Cubs back, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to put GHS up three. Moore answered right back, pulling up for a 3 of his own. He had eight of his 27 points in the fourth.
Neese, who struggled from the field in the game and at times seemed lost in the pressure of the tournament, recovered down the stretch and played with a veteran approach, getting to the basket instead of settling for jumpers.
He had eight points in the final 1:30 of the game and finished with 20 points, five rebounds and two steals. Moore had seven rebounds and three steals.
Greencastle tried to extend the game, but as the Clovers clutchly sank free throw after free throw, the Tiger Cubs had no option left.
King finished with nine points on three-of-eight 3s. Junior Anthony Mitchell had six rebounds and four assists for GHS.
The Tiger Cubs (1-1) will play in the PCC consolation game against South Putnam (1-2), which lost to North Putnam (2-0) 65-48 in game 2. That game will tipoff at 6:30 p.m.
The Clovers (4-0) play the Cougars in the championship final, which should tip around 8:15 p.m. Saturday.
