Cards drop opener at Wabash Valley Classic

Bloomfield's Andy Cochrane (left) and Cory Slaven (right) put the squeeze on Terre Haute South reserve Jeffrey Turner during the opening boys basketball game at the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic Saturday. [Order this photo]

TERRE HAUTE -- Bloomfield committed 24 turnovers and shot 38 percent as the Cardinals lost to Terre Haute South 74-47 in the opening game of the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic at Terre Haute North High School Saturday.

"It was a long trip up here," said Bloomfield boys basketball coach John Bucher, whose Cardinals lost for the fifth straight time to slip to 2-7. "We let South intimidate us.

"I thought South forced us into a lot of careless turnovers. We had four turnovers in our last game and we had 24 today."

South, who improved to 3-4, finished with 14 turnovers, but only had six through the first three quarters as they build up a 47-24 cushion.

The Braves scored the first seven points and never trailed. They led 15-5 after the opening quarter before the Cardinals used the 3-ball to get back into the game.

Drake Vandeventer, Andy Cochrane and Ryan O'Neall each hit a 3-pointer and Cochrane got into the lane for two more as Bloomfield cut the South cushion to 20-16 with 2 ½ minutes to play in the second quarter.

But South took advantage of some late miscues by the Cards and made its last five shots of the first half, including two treys. They closed the period with a 12-0 spurt, taking a 32-16 advantage at intermission.

"We just made some poor decisions with the basketball," said Bucher. "Turnovers really hurt us."

South finished 50 percent from the field -- 30 of 60. They hit 12 3-pointers and outscored the Cardinals 36-18 from distance. Anthony McGill led the Braves with 16 points and Jermaine Smith added 11. All but two players scored for the balanced Braves.

Bucher said that South was able to dictate the tempo of the game.

"We got caught up in their pace," said Bucher. "Any team that shoots that many threes wants to get up and down the court.

"For us, a quick 3-pointer is just like a turnover."

South also won the battle of the boards 31-22, including 12-5 on the offensive glass. Bloomfield did not grab an offensive rebound against the taller Braves until the fourth quarter.

"We have to do a better job of blocking out and rebounding the basketball," said Bucher.

Senior forward Andy Cochrane accounted for half of the Cardinal offense. He made three, 3-pointers and finished with 23 points on 9 of 20 shooting. The rest of the team made 6 of 20 attempts from the field.

Vandeventer collected five rebounds and eight points. Holden Hamm dished out seven assists, but had five turnovers.

The Cardinals will play South Vermillion at 10 a.m. Monday in a loser's bracket game. The Wildcats dropped their opener to Sullivan, who will play Terre Haute South at 1 p.m. Monday.

Play will continue Tuesday and Wednesday as well at North.

Saturday

Wabash Valley Classic

At Terre Haute North

BLOOMFIELD (47) -- Andy Cochrane 9-20 2-2 23, Drake Vandeventer 3-10 0-0 8, Cory Slaven 0-0 0-0 0, Holden Hamm 1-2 2-2 4, Ryan O'Neall 1-5 0-0 3, Bryce Lindsey 0-0 2-2 2. Payton Karl 1-3 5-6 7. Totals 15-40 11-12 47.

TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (74) -- Jermaine Smith 4-5 0-0 11, Jacob Tanoos 0-0 0-0 0, Jace Worrell 2-10 1-2 5, Anthony McGill 7-10 0-0 16, John Michael Jarvis 4-10 0-0 9, Chris Rose 1-2 0-2 3, Bobby McKenna 2-3 0-0 6, Gary Ulrich 3-4 0-0 8, Bryn Schwartz 1-2 0-0 2, Zach Lookebill 1-3 1-1 3, Joey Etling 2-5 0-0 5, Jeffrey Turner 3-4 0-1 6, Lem Young 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-60 2-6 74.

Bloomfield 5 11 8 23 -- 47

Terre Haute South 15 17 15 27 -- 74

3-point shooting -- Bloomfield 6-19 (Cochrane 3-10, Vandeventer 2-5, O'Neall 1-3, Hamm 0-1), Terre Haute South 12-29 (Smith 3-4, Ulrich 2-3, McKenna 2-3, McGill 2-4, Rose 1-2, Etling 1-2, Jarvis 1-5, Turner 0-1, Lookebill 0-2, Worrell 0-3). Fouls -- Bloomfield 7, Terre Haute South 13. Fouled out -- None. Rebounds -- Bloomfield 22 (Vandeventer 5), Terre Haute South 31 (Worrell 8). Assists -- Bloomfield 10 (Hamm 7), Terre Haute South 19 (McKenna 3). Turnovers -- Bloomfield 24 (Hamm 5), Terre Haute South 14 (Turner 3). Blocks -- Bloomfield 1 (Vandeventer), Terre Haute South 1 (Worrell).