Clovers pressure Eels in 72-42 victory; South wins at PH

Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Cloverdale senior Tori Combs (No. 31) slaps away a shot by Clay City's Emily Hyatt (No. 5) in the first quarter. Combs posted 14 points, 13 rebounds and added two blocks and five steals.
Carey Fox photo

CLAY CITY — The 1981 song “Under Pressure” recorded by Queen and David Bowie would have been an apt in-game theme as Clay City’s girls opened the home portion of their basketball schedule against Cloverdale.

The Clovers used a 25-11 third-quarter surge while forcing seven Clay City turnovers to run out to a 72-42 victory against the Eels to improve to 3-0 this season. Cloverdale got 29 points from junior guard Sammie Shrum and a 14-point, 13-rebound effort from senior Tori Combs to snag the victory.

The Eels were in catch-up mode for most of the evening as the visitors were able to jump out to a 7-2 lead as Combs dominated play defensively. The athletic and physical forward contributed four rebounds, two blocks and a steal in the opening period alone.

Shrum tallied six of her points over the opening eight minutes as Cloverdale took a 17-9 lead at the first stop.

The lead grew even bigger in the second quarter as Combs swarmed on defense with three steals before Clay City was able to mount a late rally before intermission.

Lauryn Myers, Emily Hyatt and Aysiah Hernandez each drained a 3-pointer as Clay City went to its perimeter game to make a run to within 33-20 at halftime.

“They mixed up defenses a little bit and that helped us some. Anytime the ball goes through the basket it gets you going,” Clay City coach Jason Sinders explained. “We look better this week then we did last week so we are gaining.”

The opening few minute of the third quarter proved to be decisive as Cloverdale ramped up its defensive effort after Myers got the Eels within 33-22 with a jumper.

Shrum scored on a scoop shot and the Clovers forced three straight Clay City turnovers that ended in Cloverdale points. Combs scored on the interior and Lakkain Price added another bucket of an Eels’ turnover. Another Eel miscue led to a free throw by Combs as Cloverdale extended its lead to 40-22.

Clovers eighth-year head coach Matthew Langdon has been impressed by his team’s play after halftime.

“I think that we have played some really good third quarters. We go into halftime and (Clay City) had just made a run and we saw that in our first game of the year too when South Putnam cut it to a three-point lead in the first game. That is when the first four minutes (of the third quarter) will dictate the rest of the game,” Langdon said. “I thought we did a great job, we ended up doubling them up in the third quarter. Coming out of halftime with a defensive intensity is just the difference.”

Clay City answered the 7-0 run with two free throws by Hayley Walton, but a 3-pointer off an offensive rebound by Hailey Thomas and a steal and hoop by Combs snagged back the momentum. With Shrum and Combs doing a lot of the heavy lifting offensively, Thomas came through with 16 points for the Clovers, eight of them in the opening period.

“I thought (Hailey) Thomas really stepped up and hit some threes and had her season-high (16 points). Sammie (Shrum) is getting consistent scoring and we are getting some bench production. We have some tough competition coming up with Danville in a week so we know we can’t have those lapses.”

Cloverdale controlled the third period and got a 13-0 run before a 3-pointer by Myers at the end of the quarter. Turnovers weren’t the Eels’ friend either with 25 on the night, which lead the Clovers to a 13-shot edge in attempts and a 14 more free throw attempts.

The Clovers (3-0 overall) travel to Shakamak Saturday night and the Eels visit Eminence for a 6 p.m. game on Friday.

CLOVERDALE (72) — Shrum 10-24 6-7 29, Wade 0-6 0-1 0, Combs 6-11 2-4 14, Thomas 5-8 2-2 16, Price 1-2 0-0 2, Lewellen 0-3 0-0 0, Shoemaker 4-8 0-0 8, Byford 1-3 0-0 2, Monnett 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 27-66 11-16 72.

CLAY CITY (42) — Hernandez 2-7 0-0 5, Hyatt 2-10 0-0 5, Walton 2-9 2-2 6, Myers 7-15 0-0 17, Wertz 2-6 0-0 5, Harrison 0-0 0-0 0, Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Wolfe 2-3 0-0 4, Arthur 0-2 0-0 0, Schlatgauer 0-0 0-0 0, Robinson 0-0 0-0 0, Hauer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 17-53 2-2 42.

Cloverdale1716251472
Clay City911111142

3-point field goals - CC 6-13 (Hernandez 1-3, Hyatt 1-1, Myers 3-5, Wertz 1-3, Hauer 0-1), CL 7-19 (Shrum 3-10, Thomas 4-5, Wade 0-4). Total Rebounds - CC 32 (Myers 7, Walton 6, Miller 5), CL 44 (Combs 13, Price 6, Byford 5). Total Fouls - CC 12, CL 7. Turnovers - CC 25, CL 16.

In other action:

South Putnam 56, Parke Heritage 54 — At Rockville, the Eagles evened their record at 1-1 with a road victory.

South took an 18-9 lead after one quarter, but the Wolves bounced back to cut the deficit to 28-25 at the half.

The Eagles added one point to their lead at 45-41 at the final stop.

“We did a lot of good things and got up by 10 with about two and a half minutes left,” South coach Brian Gardner said. “They had a couple threes with about a minute left to cut it pretty close, but we are able to hold our composure and get two big defensive stops at the end

“It was great to get a win on the road against a hard-nosed team.”

Lexi Vanihel scored 16 points to lead the Eagles after missing the team’s opener due to injury. Chloe Custis added 13, while Macie Bumgardner and Alex Bratcher added eight each.

SOUTH PUTNAM (56) — Custis 5 2-6 13, Bratcher 1 5-6 8, Vanihel 5 6-11 18 , Bumgardner 4 0-0 8, Crewes 2 1-1 5, Capps 0 1-2 1, Mahoney-Sutherland 2 0-0 4. Totals 17; FG, 15-26 FT, 56 TP

PARKE HERITAGE (54) — 6 4-5 17, McMullen 5 1-2 12, Ramsay 1 1-2 5, Mo.Millspaugh 2 0-0 4, O’Brien 3 3-4 10, Jones 2 0-0 6. Totals 20 FG, 9-11 FT, 54 TP

South Putnam 18 10 1711 56
Parke Heritage 9 16161354

3-point goals — Bratcher, Custis, Dugger, McMullen, O’Brien, Jones 2.