Regional Preview

CLOVERDALE -- On Saturday at noon, Cloverdale will play its first game in the Greenfield-Central Regional against Indianapolis Crispus Attucks.

Attucks is 18-5 with wins coming against Indianapolis Northwest, Ritter and Cathedral. They grab 43 rebounds per game in comparison with Cloverdale's 24.

Tickets for the session are being presold at Cloverdale for $10.

"They've got some outstanding players," Rady said "They are extremely quick. We've got to handle their pressure. If we can handle their pressure and keep our turnovers right around 10. Then we've got to keep them off the offensive glass. They're probably the best rebounding team that we've played this year. They're relentless they just go to the glass."

Rady continued to name skills that Attucks will be throwing at Cloverdale during the regional matchup.

"They love to penetrate and we have to stop penetration," Rady said. "That is key. If we can also cause them some chaos and get some turnovers, that'd be good. We won't change our game completely because we still want to pressure them. It'll be a different kind of pressure because they are so quick."

Cloverdale (22-5, 4-0 WCC) comes into the regional matchup after winning 11 straight games to close its regular season and sectional title. Rady said it is hard for Cloverdale to match the speed of the Tigers in practices but has few drills to get the Clovers ready for what they will see Saturday.

"We've been working with double teams and trying to get our guys to pass out of it," Rady said. "We have a drill that we do called circle trap. It helps our guys to get out of traps. We want our guys to look up the floor. Attucks does a good job of that. They get the ball up the court."

Cloverdale scores 71 points a game, shooting 52 percent from the field, while Attucks is scoring 74 points per game while shooting 44 percent.

"You don't win a ball game on paper," Rady said. "You win it on the court. We have tremendous fans. I'll put our fans up against anyone. They're going to be there in force so if we can have that backing they'll be no quit in us. I'm looking forward to going to Greenfield with these young men."

True to form, coach Rady attributed all of his successes and the successes of this year's team to the people around him.

"You wouldn't have a year like we had this year if it wasn't for assistant coaches," Rady said. "Coach Patrick Rady and Coach Greg Thomas have been very helpful. Coach Jerry Neese, and we have Chad Christman, are helping from the bench. I know it's an old saying that's been around for a long time but it's true. Theirs no 'I' in team or anything you want to say."

In the middle of the work week the players were treated to sweet snacks that coach Rady's wife Margaret. Even though she has been fighting sickness she still kept her promise to make cookies for the Clovers when they won sectional.

"She got up and baked those cookies today," Rady said. "I told her she could wait until next week, she said no. I've been blessed to have had the perfect coach's wife. She's been behind me in everything I've done."

One thing Rady reiterated to his players is to not be satisfied and try to capitalize on the opportunity at hand.

"They have to realize that you can't live in the past," Rady said. "If what you did yesterday still looks good to you today, then you haven't done anything today. That's what we are trying to tell them. They can't take the sectional away from you but we can't live on those laurels. We've got a challenge in front of us. It's a regional and the particular game is Crispus Attucks."