As the basketball season dwindles down for the Nation Ford Falcons, the fight in their teams is still ongoing.
Both the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams for Nation Ford fell to Clover, but gave them a decent fight in doing so Tuesday night. The Nation Ford girls fell 45-28, but held the No. 1 team in the state in Clover in check for the first half.
“The game plan worked in the first half,” said Nation Ford girls’ head coach Coretta Richmond. “In the second half, I don’t know what happened.”
Clover led by just four at the half at 19-15, but showed their strength in the second half by starting the third quarter on a 7-0 run. Nation Ford struggled shooting in the second half and went 0-9 from the field in the third quarter getting outscored 16-4. The only bright spot was Georgia Sharpless going 4-4 at the foul line. Sharpless led the Falcons with 10 points in the game.
The Falcons’ Harper McKain was held in check with nine points and senior Payton Brookover was held in check as well with only three points.
Defensively, Nation Ford did hold All-State player and UNCC commit Aylesha Wade to just 14 points in the game. Wade was coming off a 37-point performance Monday night against Fort Mill in a win in which she scored her 2,000-career point.
“I am proud of her,” Richmond said. “I am looking forward to her representing the area.”
Nation Ford did rally some in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get the momentum they needed. The Falcons fall to 6-13 overall and 3-4 in Region 3-5A. The two teams are scheduled to play again Friday at Clover, which will be the end of Nation Ford’s region schedule.
Clover’s run puts an end to Nation Ford rally
Between the third and fourth quarters, the Clover Blue Eagles boys’ team went on a 17-0 run and opened the final period on a 11-0 run to pull away for a 55-47 win over Nation Ford.
Nation Ford fought all quarter long in the third quarter and took a 38-36 lead on a Jackson Burnham 3-pointer, before moments later Clover hit a 3-pointer of their own to go up 39-38 to start their 17-0 run.
The third quarter ended with Clover leading 42-38 on back-to-back 3-pointers and then 11 points later it was 53-38 with the Blue Eagles holding a strong command of the game.
Despite the run, the Falcons gave Clover fits down the stretch in the fourth quarter and pulled within six points, on a couple of occasions.
“The guys continue to stay together,” said Nation Ford head coach Jared Adamson. “At any point they could have folded. We didn’t lose we just ran out of time.”
Burnham led Nation Ford with 19 points, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. The loss drops the Falcons to 1-12 overall and 0-5 in the region. Nation Ford is scheduled to travel to Clover on Friday and then will have two games against Gaffney next week to end their season.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
