GREENCASTLE GIRLS' BASKETBALL SECTIONAL: Tiger Cubs clear second hurdle in Clovers to reach final

After beating out several players for an offensive rebound, Greencastle's Stephanie Morales looks for a passing option during Friday's 59-37 win over Cloverdale. The Tiger Cubs face Parke Heritage in the sectional final Saturday night.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

After dispatching Southmont Tuesday, Greencastle took on Cloverdale, holders of the bye, in the semifinal round of IHSAA Girls’ Basketball Class 2A Sectional No. 44 Friday night.

The offense took some time to get warmed up but the Tiger Cubs eventually found their stride, holding the Clovers to 20 points through three quarters and advanced to the final with a 59-37 win.

“Cloverdale played very well and did a lot of good things tonight,” Greencastle head coach Doug Greenlee said. “We fouled too much and dribble penetration hurt us; we’ve talked about that for a month now but Cloverdale got some free throws and good offensive looks.

“I felt we were in control of the game the whole way but it was a struggle. We were not smooth or efficient offensively but did enough to get to the championship game.”

“We had a pretty good gameplan coming in and executed it pretty well in the first half defensively but we couldn’t execute on offense,” Cloverdale head coach James Wade said. “You can’t score 16 points in a half and come out struggling in the third quarter,

“Give Greencastle credit: they made some adjustments against the triangle-and-two and while we knew that was coming and had some things to defend that, we weren’t able to execute it properly, part of it us being young and being tired.”

Gloria Brewer started the game with a three-point play but Greencastle (21-4) found little success thereafter inside the arc, missing nine shots in-a-row extending to the second quarter.

Kiersten Wade tied the game at 3-3 all but Evie Briones doubled up from deep to help the hosts take an 11-5 lead after a quarter of play.

The Tiger Cubs got their best offensive flow of the half after an Emily Mann basket for Cloverdale (2-22) made it 13-7, making their next four shots inside the arc and added a three from Brewer to make it 26-11.

Mann scored the final eight points for the Clovers, including two threes and a late basket, keeping the hosts from running away with the game though the visitors still trailed 30-16 at halftime.

A choppy third quarter stunted the flow of the game though Greencastle still increased its lead by 10 as Brewer started the half with another three-point play, adding a second following a missed free throw that Bailey Brown was able to rebound.

Cloverdale’s offense finally came alive in the fourth quarter as Mann added eight more points to her 20-point night while Wade and Andrea Nees added their final tallies as Clovers while Emma Hunter scored nine points in the period as the hosts continued their advance in the state tournament.

In a trying season, Wade said both of his seniors, Nees and Kiersten Wade, played through difficult circumstances and still gave what they could to the team.

“I’m proud of the girls and the improvement we’ve made all year; we’ve got a long way to go still but we’re improving,” Wade said. “I hate to see our two seniors go.

“It’s tough to not be able to coach my daughter anymore and it was a difficult thing to recognize walking into the locker room. I’m proud of those two as they played with injuries all season and those two girls, with the hand they were dealt with injuries, young teammates and low numbers, you would have never known it with what they gave us.

“I’m proud of everyone on this team,” Wade added. “Emily really stepped up for us and I’m looking forward to us continuing to get better as we’re already talking about what we can do once we can get together again.”

For Greencastle, Parke Heritage awaits in the final with Greenlee knowing Friday night was all about getting to the final.

“We had a goal tonight and that was to get to the final game,” Greenlee said. “We’re going to have to play better (Saturday); we’ve told the girls that and we will.”

Scoring

Cloverdale (9-26 2FG; 4-8 3FG; 7-19 FT) — Mann 20, Wade 6, Nees 6, Bernard 3, Nichols 2

Greencastle (14-35 2FG; 6-24 3FG; 13-17 FT) — Brewer 27, Briones 16, Hunter 12, Plew 2, Dobbs 2

Statistics