Cloverdale wins up-and-down matchup over North vermillion

Cloverdale had four starters score in double digits Saturday to hold off North Vermillion, 68-65, in the Clovers’ season opener at the Gobbler Games at Greencastle High School.

Donavin Newby, Trey Schabel and Tobias Hart each scored 16 points in the win while Ishmael Kiteka had 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

An up-and-down first half with several scoring bursts saw no team gain a lead greater than six points. There were 11 lead changes in the opening 16 minutes.

Tobias Hart’s third three-pointer of the second quarter put Cloverdale up 34-29 with 3:11 to go. An offensive rebound by Evan Mann resulted in a score around the rim and a whistle. Mann converted the free throw to extend the lead to 37-31.

Cloverdale pushed the lead to 47-37 just past the midway point of the third quarter but an 8-0 run by the Falcons trimmed the lead to 47-45 with 35 seconds left.

Schabel scored off an offensive rebound to make it 49-45 going to the final quarter.

The Falcons never regained the lead in the final quarter but pressured the Clovers to the final horn.

Newby connected on a pair of free throws with 4:49 to go to help Cloverdale open a 58-49 advantage. North Vermillion went on a 10-2 run from there to cut the lead to 60-59.

Andre Buchhaas scored off an offensive rebound, Teagan Leonard slashed to the rim and scored then Teegan Dowers splashed a 3 to get the Falcons within one with 2:22 to go.

Schabel drove the lane and converted and Hart hit a jumper to extend the lead to 64-59.

Graham Young answered back with a corner 3 with 1:21 to go and Dowers hit a 3 less than 30 seconds later to cut the Clovers’ lead to 66-65, but that would be as close as North Vermillion would get.

Young went 11 of 19 from the field to finish with a game-high 23 points. Buchhaas followed with 22 points and nine rebounds. Dowers finished with 11.

Cloverdale is at Edgewood Friday.

North Vermillion will face Class 2A, No. 1 Parke Heritage at 6 p.m. Friday in the opening game of the Banks of the Wabash Classic at South Vermillion. Parke Heritage stunned Class 4A, No. 15 Terre Haute North Saturday with a buzzer beating 3-pointer from Treigh Schelsky for a 66-65 win at the Gobbler Games at Greencastle High School.