CHS falls to Rockville

Cloverdale's Jalen Moore contorts his body in the air to score the bucket after the foul was called Tuesday. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

CLOVERDALE-- A tough Rockville basketball team showed up at Tucker Court on Senior Night Tuesday to take on the Cloverdale boys and despite 29 points from Jalen Moore and 26 from Cooper Neese the Rox came away with the road win 83-68.

"I thought Rockville was tougher than us tonight," CHS coach Patrick Rady said. "We've got to get a tougher mindset. I didn't think we had it tonight. They were tougher in all aspects of the game."

The game was close early with each team scoring 17 in the first quarter. The Clover defense was active and after going down early CHS went on an 8-0 run behind the defense of Moore and Nick Winders.

Neese scored two threes and two twos in the quarter and Moore added seven points.

In the second quarter Rockville established an inside presence and the lead. Neese scored six and helped the Clovers to 13 but the Rox managed 20 points in the second and the Rox were able to hit shots from all over the floor.

"In the interior game they really hurt us," Rady said. "In both halves. They got too many easy shots. Part of that is our post defense. We've got to get better at that and better at rebounding."

Cloverdale was able to continue scoring as Winders, Moore, Parker Watts and Brenan Hall each added a bucket from the floor to compliment four free throws by Neese.

But The Rox caught a rhythm and outscored CHS 23-15 in the third and had built a 60-45 lead going into the fourth.

The lead only increased despite the effort given by the Clovers, who put up their best offensive output in the fourth. Moore who was 10-for-13 from the free throw line, fought to get inside and made all six foul shots in the fourth. He scored 15 of his 29 points in the final quarter.

But the 21 Clover points were not enough to make a run at Rockville, which matched its 23-point third quarter with another one in the fourth.

"It starts in practice," Rady said. "We've got to really have a tough mindset in practice. It's going to have to be an ongoing thing. We've had it at times this year. Tonight as I said for some reason, and we'll have to take a look at the film, but they out toughed us."

Cloverdale (15-7) will have its final regular season game on the road against Eminence Friday and its two seniors Hall and Robert Nally have played their last game on Tucker Court.

"They are both very likeable kids," Rady said. "I think they are going to be successful in whatever they do. They play their roles well. I think they've accepted their role. As I told them, the season is not over and it would be nice if we could get them a sectional championship. You always hate to say goodbye to seniors. Robert and Brenan are two fine young men."

CHS has defeated every one of its possible sectional opponents with all but one win, a nine-point victory versus Southmont, coming with double-digit margins. The IHSAA tournament pairing will be on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

At Cloveradale

Rockville 17 20 23 23 -- 83

Cloverdale 17 13 15 21 -- 68

Clover Scoring

Neese 9-25 6-6 26, Moore 8-15 10-13 29, Winders 2-6 5, Wilkes 1-3 2, Hall 1-4 2, Rossok 1-1 2

Three-point shots Moore 3-7, Neese 2-13, Winders 1-4 Reb. Neese 7, Hall 7, Nally 2, Pfaff 2, Winders 1, Moore 1 Asst: Moore 3, Neese 2 Stl" Morre 3, Neese 2, Hall 1, Watts 1