Preview: South Vermillion Wildcats vs. Cloverdale Clovers
The South Vermillion Wildcats and the Cloverdale Clovers will face off at 8:30 p.m. on December 26th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
South Vermillion entered their tilt with Clay City with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. It was close, but South Vermillion ultimately received the gift of a 54-52 win from a begrudging Wildcatssquad. Despite the win, that was the fewest points they have scored all season.
South Vermillion got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Brayson Shoults out in front who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds. The match was Shoults' sixth in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Luke Bush, who scored 11 points along with five assists and four steals.
Cloverdale can finally bid farewell to their seven-game losing streak dating back to last season thanks to their game on Saturday. They came out on top against Riverton Parke by a score of 44-35. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest win Cloverdale has managed all season.
Cloverdale relied on the efforts of Eli Kelley, who scored ten points along with five rebounds and three steals, and Houston Jobe, who scored 19 points along with six rebounds. Kelley continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Noah Betz was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with five rebounds and three blocks.
South Vermillion's victory bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Cloverdale, their victory bumped their record up to 1-6.
Tuesday's matchup is shaping up to be a blowout: South Vermillion hasn't had any problem running up the score this season, having only averaged 64.5 points per game. It's a different story for Cloverdale, though, as they've been averaging only 39.2 points per game. The only thing between South Vermillion and another offensive beatdown is Cloverdale. Will they be able to keep them contained?
Everything came up roses for South Vermillion against Cloverdale when the teams last played back in December of 2022 as the squad secured a 59-27 victory. Will South Vermillion repeat their success, or does Cloverdale have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
