JENNI MARIETTA STATE FARM CLASSIC DAY TWO: Tiger Cubs, Clovers fall in placement games

Greencastle's Evie Briones (left) dives for a loose ball against a pair of Terre Haute North defenders during Saturday's third-place game at the Jenni Marietta State Farm Classic. The Patriots would use a strong second and third quarter stretch to win a rematch of the 2022 final over the Tiger Cubs 54-45.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

BRAZIL – Greencastle and Cloverdale both fell in the placement games at the Jenni Marietta State Farm Classic Saturday at Northview High School, the former falling to Terre Haute North 54-45 to finish fourth while the latter lost to Clay City 37-10 to finish sixth.

Parke Heritage was crowned champions of the third edition of the tournament, defeating the host Knights 48-30 while West Vigo defeated South Vermillion 45-10 to finish seventh.

Third-Place Game

Terre Haute North 54, Greencastle 45

In the only game decided by single digits of the 12 games played, the Tiger Cubs started off strong with a 13-5 lead after a quarter but went into halftime trailing by three and 14 after three quarters of play before scoring 19 points in the final quarter in the loss.

“We came out hot in the first quarter,” Greencastle head coach Jessica Lenihan said. “We turn around and only score four points in the second quarter and that can’t happen.

“You can’t have bad quarters like that. We were outscored 15-4 and 15-9 in the middle quarters and coming back from deficits like that is tough.”

A matchup of the 2022 final, Greencastle scored the first nine points of the game as Evie Briones hit a jumper, followed by consecutive threes from Madi Plew and a Sarah Simmerman free throw.

The Tiger Cubs led by 11 after baskets from Bailey Brown and Ali Dobbs before a late three from Rebecca Gore gave Terre Haute North some life.

Charlie Walker scored on the inside and Cydnei Strader hit a three to help cut the deficit to 13-11 before Simmerman hit a jumper.

The freshman would score both baskets for Greencastle in the quarter but not before two more baskets from Walker, a basket from Strader and a late three from Sage Lanning gave the Patriots a 20-17 lead at halftime.

Terre Haute North would grab a 40-26 lead after three quarters thanks to a 15-2 run to end the period as Walker and Makenna Lawson scored on the inside before Madi Strange and Lanning hit three-consecutive treys while Strader scored off a steal.

Greencastle finally woke from its offensive slumber as Brown and Simmerman scored around a Briones three to cut the gap to 40-33.

The Patriots would shake off the run as Gore scored consecutive baskets and though the Tiger Cubs would trim the lead to 50-45 after a Briones basket, Terre Haute North had enough steam left to hold Greencastle scoreless in the final seconds to secure the win.

“The girls never stopped fighting,” Lenihan said. “(Terre Haute North) had a little more intensity in the second and third quarters than we did.

“We came out hard in the fourth quarter but just didn’t have enough time to come all the way back.”

Scoring

Greencastle (14-28 2FG; 5-19 3FG; 2-7 FT) — Briones 13, Simmerman 11, Brown 8, Dobbs 7, Plew 6

Terre Haute North (13-31 2FG; 7-15 3FG; 7-15 FT) — Strader 14, Walker 13, Lanning 10, Gore 10, Strange 5, Lawson 2

Statistics

Fifth-Place Game

Clay City 37, Cloverdale 10

After a scoreless first quarter, Lulu Koehler got the Eels on the board with a steal and layup 15 seconds into the second quarter.

Amilia Haga tied the game with a basket midway through the quarter and both offenses started to take off as Lexi Crabb hit a three and Kailyn Kirkling scored to make it 7-2.

Syrie Ford and Sarah Nichols hit free throws while Gracie Lee hit a jumper to make it 9-7 before Taylor Rhinehart scored to end the half, giving Clay City an 11-7 at halftime.

Lee scored the first basket of the second half for Cloverdale but threes from Marley Rea and Crabb made it 17-9 and, after a Haga free throw, the Clovers would not score again.

The Eels finished the game on an 18-0 run as Koehler hit a three to end the third quarter and scored off a steal to start the final period of play.

Clay City would outrebound Cloverdale 16-5 in the second half and 9-3 in the final quarter with baskets from Kirkling, Kam Rhodes, Abigale Shearer, Megan Jackson, and Mallori Bettenbrock helping to close out game.

“(Saturday), I don’t know that we were mentally here,” Cloverdale head coach James Wade said about the loss. “It was frustrating.

“Our defense allowed us to stay in the game early because we weren’t doing anything offensively. The girls played hard and rebounded well, which kept us in it but, eventually, it got away from us.”

Scoring

Cloverdale (3-18 2FG; 0-8 3FG; 4-11 FT) — Lee 4, A, Haga 3, Nichols 2, Ford 1

Clay City (10-27 2FG: 4-13 3FG; 5-6 FT) — Kirkling 8, Koehler 7, Crabb 6, Jackson 5, Rea 3, Bettenbrock 2, Shearer 2, Rhodes 2, Rinehart 2

Statistics