Cloverdale looks forward to sectional tourney

Cloverdale's Bailee Stevens finished her final home game with 13 points. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

CLOVERDALE--In its last game of the regular season, the Cloverdale girls' basketball team managed to stick close to Riverton Park after one quarter. But a strong second half by the Panthers sealed the game as Riverton Parke won 75-36.

With more than a week before they play their sectional semi-final, the Clover ladies looked to get a good start at the beginning; something the team had been struggling with lately.

"I thought we did one thing well," CHS coach Matt Langdon said. "We hadn't played a good first quarter since South (Putnam). That's key for us to just set the tone. We came out and hit some key shots to make it 8-8."

Three of those key shots were from junior Haley Hamm and the other from senior Bailee Stevens.

A tough offense from Riverton Parke, however, was able to capture momentum at the end of its first two quarters.

"I think the ending of the first and second quarter kind of hurt," Langdon said. "Both quarters ended with (Riverton Parke) shots. When you are battling and shots aren't falling on your end, then they hit a big three and a big two. That really shifted momentum their way."

The momentum carried over into the third quarter when the Panthers went on a run, knocking down jumper after jumper. After a 25-3 third quarter Cloverdale went into the final quarter down 57-21.

Cloverdale was not ready to give up, however. With Stevens leading the charge, the Clovers put together their best quarter, scoring 15 points but the game had been decided.

Now Cloverdale will look to take advantage of its sectional bye and win a spot in the sectional championship game.

"It's nice to know that it's a fresh start," Langdon said. "It's 0-0 once tournament time comes. The bye gives us a unique opportunity to put all our energy and all our focus into just one game to get to the sectional championship. That's what's great about the bye.

"Once someone gets to that sectional final, you enjoy it but you'll never know what can happen."

At Cloverdale

Riv Parke 13 19 25 18 --75

Cloverdale 8 10 3 15 -- 36

Individual Stats

Riv. Parke: Organ 35, Vauters 21, Bovair 10, Haltom 2, Massutti 2, Blacketer 2, Ingram 2, Higginbotham 1

Cloverdale: Stevens 13, Hamm 12, Pieper 6, Worthington 2, Walker 2, Dorsett 1