Eels slip away in final minutes as Clovers sent to seventh-place game at State Farm Classic

After hitting a three to pull Cloverdale within a point, Emily Mann converted a three-point play to draw the Clovers level with Clay City late in the fourth quarter at 36-36 Monday in the consolation bracket at the Jenni Marietta State Farm Classic at Northview. The Eels would wriggle free, however, winning 44-38 to send Cloverdale to the seventh-place game.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

By Trent Scott

Sports Editor

BRAZIL — There have been better starts for Cloverdale this season.

Trailing 13-0 after a quarter of play and 14-0 before getting on the scoreboard, Clay City could have easily been out of sight by halftime.

Instead, the Clovers pulled the game back to within four at the break, withstood a foul-happy third quarter and tied the game at 36-36 and 38-38, only for the Eels to get a three from Shaylee Evans that was one blow too many to overcome in a 44-38 loss.

After a string of heavy losses to close 2022, Cloverdale (0-13) looked headed for more stormy water but found a few timely baskets in the second quarter to help bring some hope to the game.

Clay City (4-10), who won the previous meeting between the two teams 56-28, got off to a smooth start with Evans scoring seven points in the opening period.

Aubrey Yoho got the Clovers on the scoreboard in the second quarter, stopping the 14-0 start, with threes from Kiersten Wade and Emily Mann helping to cut the gap to 16-10.

A Yoho basket and free throw from Sarah Nichols helped close the gap to 17-13 at halftime.

Fouls piled up like cordwood in the third quarter with both teams nearly in the double-bonus by the end of a lengthy eight minutes of play.

Wade hit two threes and added another basket to turn what had been a 23-13 deficit into a one-point game at 24-23 while late baskets from Syrie Ford and Isabell Schmidt kept the Clovers within touching distance at 32-27 entering the fourth quarter.

Wade and Mann hit threes to cut the gap to 34-33 and a Mann three-point play tied the game at 36-36.

Abbi Jo Grupe scored on the end but Wade answered back with two free throws to tie the game again at 38-38.

Evans would come in with the save, however, notching a three that made it 41-38 and several attempts from the Clovers went astray as the Eels escaped with the win, moving on to the fifth-place game in the process.

Scoring

Clay City (13 2FG; 2 3FG; 12-24 FT) — Evans 20, Jackson 13, Grupe 8, Koehler 3,

Cloverdale (7 2FG; 6 3FG; 6-13 FT) — Wade 16, Mann 11, Yoho 6, Schmitt 2, Ford 2, Nichols 1