WESTFIELD TWP. — Ah, the memories.
First thing’s first: The Cloverleaf boys basketball team won Tuesday, nearly grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory but still beating Springfield 62-58 in Portage Trail Conference Metro Division play.
That is only part of the story.
The night began with public address announcer Ron Tisher’s microphone petering out. Scoreboard operator Eric Martin then boomed his voice to inform the crowd, and everyone in attendance sang the national anthem in unison while trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
Naturally, the starting lineups were not announced, so sophomore student section member Tyler Pedmo bellowed the Colts’ starting lineup — “No. 3, Tyler Kapeluck,” etc. — as the head referee tossed the opening tip. Pedmo, a 5-foot-10, 240-pounder wearing a rainbow-colored umbrella hat for reasons only he can explain, later announced the winning 50/50 ticket number.
“(The national anthem) was kind of cool, you know?” smiling Colts guard Michael Martin said. “It was nice hearing everyone come together — kind of. I heard two different tempos, but it was cool. We didn’t have the sound, so everyone just stepped up.”
This proved to be a fitting segue to the equally unique game, as Cloverleaf rallied from an 11-point deficit and gained a 17-point lead before allowing the offensively challenged Spartans (1-5, 0-5) to make the score 61-58 with five seconds left.
Cloverleaf’s Ryan Gutschow fights for a rebound against Springfield’s Jordan McLean during the second quarter. (RON SCHWANE / GAZETTE)
Thankfully for the Colts, Ryan Gutschow made a free throw following an intentional foul and Martin inbounded to Timmy Schuerger to burn the final 1.4 seconds.
A win is a win is a win, especially for a team that had lost 11 straight and 20 of its last 21.
“I’m just excited,” Schuerger said. “All of us work really hard every day toward the one common goal, and that’s to win. Tonight’s win wasn’t pretty, but we got it done.”
The left-handed Martin had a career night with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals. Schuerger added 16 points, four assists and four steals, while centers Levi Grimm (6 points, 7 rebounds) and Gutschow (7, 3) combined for 13 points and 10 boards against beefy 6-2 counterpart Jordan McLean (30, 9).
Cloverleaf led by 16 points heading into the fourth, but McLean bulldozed into the paint for 11 points in the first three minutes of the period. Things got really hairy when Springfield got the score to 53-47, 54-48, 56-50, 58-52 and 60-55, the latter on a 3-pointer by junior varsity point guard Jeff Wilson with 18.4 seconds left.
Kapeluck then missed his fourth straight free throw in the final 30 seconds, but Wilson dribbled directly into the Colts’ Jeff Gilbert, who stole the ball, got fouled and made a foul shot with 10.5 ticks left.
Springfield’s Trevor Price answered with a 25-foot 3-pointer, but on the ensuing inbounds pass Schuerger alertly tossed a football-style 70-foot pass to Gutschow, who was immediately wrapped up for an intentional foul.
Thankfully for Cloverleaf, Gutschow made a free throw.
“We’re an inexperienced team,” Schuerger said. “We’re learning. It’s a learning process.”
Down 14-3 early, Cloverleaf (1-6, 1-4) went on a 43-15 run to take its biggest lead, 46-29, on a Schuerger 3-pointer late in the third quarter. Multiple reasons were behind the surge, as coach Marty Ryan slapped on a 2-2-1 press that transitioned into a trapping 2-3. He also moved Schuerger to point guard.
The pressure kept Springfield guards distracted from getting the ball to McLean. It also led to transition layups, as the Colts shot 16-for-25 while outscoring the Spartans 38-18 in the middle quarters.
Cloverleaf turned out to need every bit of that 28-point swing to pull off the victory.
“It was a great team win,” the headband-rocking Martin said. “We definitely needed this one after losing the first six, so it’s a big up-lifter for the upcoming games.”
Notes
- Cloverleaf power forward Tyler Hissom missed his second straight game with a high ankle sprain.
- Springfield rallied to win the junior varsity game 52-43. Joe Maloney had 14 points — all in the first half — for the Colts.
Cloverleaf 62, Springfield 58
SPRINGFIELD 15 5 13 25 — 58
CLOVERLEAF 11 21 17 13 — 62
Springfield — Ronnie Dawson 1-5-7, Brody Carper 0-0-0, Jordan McLean 12-6-30, Trevor Price 2-0-6, Andrew Hanna 3-2-10, Jordan Leon 0-0-0, Michael Thomas 0-0-0, Nick Pollock 0-0-0, Jeff Wilson 2-0-5, Tracy Jordan 0-0-0, Lamont Jamison 0-0-0. TOTALS: 20-13-58.
Cloverleaf — Tyler Kapeluck 3-1-7, Jeff Gilbert 1-1-3, Levi Grimm 3-0-6, Timmy Schuerger 5-3-16, Michael Martin 6-5-18, Austin Greer 2-1-5, Ryan Gutschow 3-1-7. TOTALS: 23-12-62.
3-point goals — Price 2, Schuerger 3, Martin. Rebounds — Springfield 28 (McLean 9), Cloverleaf 21 (Grimm 7). Assists — Springfield 12 (Price 5), Cloverleaf 13 (Schuerger 4). Records — Springfield (1-5, 0-5), Cloverleaf (1-6, 1-4). Junior varsity — Springfield 52, Cloverleaf 43.