Lady Blue Eagle cagers defeat Huss, host Oakwood Prep
The Clover High School girls’ basketball team came alive Friday, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter to defeat visiting Hunter Huss 47-39.
The Lady Blue Eagles host Oakbrook Prep at 6 p.m. Thursday, followed by the boys’ game at 7:30 p.m.
After the Lady Blue Eagles built a 14-11 lead over Hunter Huss in the first quarter, the Huss girls had a productive second quarter, outscoring Clover 11- 2 in the second quarter to lead 22-16 at halftime.
The CHS girls outscored Huss 11-8 in the third quarter, leaving Huss clinging to a 30-27 lead to start the fourth quarter.
The Lady Eagles exploded with 20 points in the final quarter to prevail, 47-39.
In previous action last week, the Clover contingent bested Forestview 48-37 in the season opener at Forestview.
After moving ahead 12-10 in the first quarter, the Lady Blue Eagles outscored Forestview 19-7 in the second quarter to lead 31-17 n at the break.
The third quarter was evenly matched, with Forestview shaving three points off the lead in the fourth quarter. But it wasn’t enough, with Clover winning by 11.
The Clover girls’ middle game last week was South Pointe at home, with the Lady Stallions prevailing 39-25 for the Lady Blue Eagles’ only defeat of the season.
South Pointe was dominant in the first half, building a 15-4 advantage.
Shia Jones, Lilly Wallace and Renee Carter scored third-quarter baskets for Clover, but South Pointe continued its scoring barrage.
The Lady Blue Eagles began to chip away at the lead in the fourth quarter, with sophomore forward Renee Carter leading the way.
A pair of free throws by Carter, a putback by Joelle Keffer and two free throws by Keffer cut into the lead.
Moments later, consecutive baskets by Carter, who paced the scoring with 10 points, sliced the lead to 12 at 44-32. South Pointe was equal to the challenge and sealed the win down the stretch.
“Our kids fought back in the second half,” said CHS head coach Sherer Hopkins. “They’re a great group of young ladies. That fought to the end; that’s what I want from them is to play hard. We’ve got to do this the entire game.”
Lynsey Comalander, a swift playmaking guard who has become a team leader, wasn’t pleased with the South Pointe game.
“We sat in the locker room at the half and I said, ‘Like this isn’t us and how we should play,’” Comalander recalls. “Like I said at the beginning of the season, we have something that every other team doesn’t have and we’ve got heart.
“We came back and played better in the second half against South Pointe,” she said.
She said she believes in her teammates and herself.
“All we could do was get after it in the second half,” Comalander said. “We can’t win on emotion. We gotta win on execution, giving it all at all times, no matter what. We came back after the half and scored 22 points.”
Comalander relies on her court vision to find open teammates.
“I try to see where my teammates are on the court,” she said. “I like to score points. I like to see my teammates score as well. I like to do assists. I’m not discouraged at all by the loss to South Pointe.”
Hopkins was pleased to see the Lady Blue Eagle players responding to situations, including grabbing rebounds off the defensive glass and releasing the outlet pass.
“The kids are beginning to buy in and do the things we ask them to do,” she said.
Keffer, a junior forward, made her presence felt in the paint, playing aggressively on both ends of the floor.
“Joelle has really started to believe in the program,” said Hopkins. “She worked hard all summer and has done really well. We look for good things from her.”
Added Hopkins: “We want to see our players continue to improve, both offensively and defensively. They work extremely hard. I can’t fault them for that.”
Carter, a sophomore forward who contributed to the team as a freshman last year, said the Lady Blue Eagles came alive in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter.
“We finally got things started in the second half,” she said. “Players stepped up and made shots.”
Carter said it felt good when she got into a shooting rhythm in the second half.
“When I start making shots, it builds my confidence,” she said.
Carter has her thoughts about getting ready for region play.
“We have to practice how we play,” she said. “We’ve got to work together, pick everybody up and build confidence for the team.”
This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Lady Blue Eagle cagers defeat Huss, host Oakwood Prep."