Cardinals wrap up first day with stellar performance
Dec. 27—The first day of the 2022 First Financial Wabash Valley Classic for boys high school basketball wrapped up the way it began Monday at Terre Haute North, with an efficient, workmanlike performance by one of the tournament's contenders.
In the eighth game of the day it was Bloomfield putting on the show, rolling to a 66-37 triumph over South Vermillion in a game that was never really close.
"Defensively, I thought we kind of set the tone," said coach J.B. Neill of Bloomfield. "We were able to take their guys out of their rhythm."
The Cardinals also shot 52% from the field, had 22 assists on 28 baskets, had just four turnovers and seemingly never let the ball rest in one players hands for more than a second or two.
"The kids do a good job playing together well," Neill agreed.
"That was a real tough one," said coach Vince Marietta of the Wildcats. "In the first half we played hard and we played [the Cardinals] physical. But they had a game plan and they executed it. When you have three players who can stroke it like they do, and an all-state player underneath in [Peter] Combs . . ."
Bloomfield had just a 5-4 lead when Neill inserted senior Brett Sherrard in the lineup midway through the first quarter. Sherrard immediately assisted on a 3-pointer by Blake Neill, then went coast-to-coast with a defensive rebound, and Bloomfield was on its way to ending the first quarter on an 11-1 run.
"He gave us a good pick-me-up," Neill said of Sherrard, who had 10 points to complement Combs (20 points on 10-for-12 shooting, 10 rebounds) and Justin Beard (15 points on 5-for-7 shooting from long range). Luke Bush had 10 points and six rebounds and Dylan Conder had eight points for South Vermillion.
The Cardinals now have a quarterfinal game Tuesday against a Shakamak team they've already beaten in conference play, and could see again in the sectional. South Vermillion will try to advance on the other side of the bracket.
"That's the beauty of a holiday tourney," Marietta said. "After the first day, you've decided which title you're gonna get."
BLOOMFIELD (66) — Bl.Neill 2-8 0-0 6, Combs 10-12 0-1 20, Skomp 3-6 1-2 8, Beard 5-8 0-0 15, Ross 2-7 0-0 5, Sherrar 5-11 0-2 10, Br.Neill 1-1 0-0 2, Workman 0-0 0-0 0, Lent 0-0 0-0 0, Royal 0-0 0-0 0, Abner 0-0 0-0 0, Medina 0-1 0-0 0, Clarke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-54 FG, 1-5 FT, 66 TP.
SOUTH VERMILLION (37) — Bush 5-9 0-0 10, Corenflos 1-3 0-0 2, Terry 0-0 0-0 0, Shoults 2-8 0-0 4, Conder 3-9 1-2 8, Wallace 2-6 0-0 6, Coleman 1-1 0-0 2, Straw 1-7 0-0 2, Moulton 0-1 0-0 0, Wilson 1-2 0-0 3, Cox 0-4 0-0 0, Beverly 0-0 0-0 0, Spires 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-49 FG, 1-2 FT, 37 TP.
Bloomfield;16;18;18;14;—;66
South Vermillion;5;12;12;8;—;37
3-point shooting — Bloomfield 9-20 (Beard 5-7, Bl.Neill 2-7, Skomp 1-1, Ross 1-4, Combs 0-1), SV 4-15 (Wallace 2-4, Wilson 1-1, Conder 1-2, Corenflos 0-1, Shoults 0-1, Straw 0-3, Cox 0-3). Total fouls — Bloomfield 10, SV 9. Fouled out — none. Turnovers — Bloomfield 4, SV 8. Rebounds — Bloomfield 36 (Combs 10, Bl.Neill 6, Sherrard 6, Ross 5, Skomp 3, Beard, Br.Neill, Lent, Abner, Team 2), SV 28 (Bush 6, Conder 3, Wallace 3, Shoults 2, Coleman 2, Straw 2, Wilson 2, Corenflos, Terry, Moulton, Spires, Team 4). Assists — Bloomfield 22 (Bl.Neill 6, Ross 5, Beard 4, Combs 2, Skomp 2, Sherrard 2, Lent), SV 5 (Conder 2, Bush. Wallace, Straw). Steals — Bloomfield 5 (Ross 2, Bl.Neill, Skomp, Sherrard), SV 1 (Wallace). Blocks — Bloomfield 7 (Combs 4, Ross 2, Bl.Neill), SV 2 (Moulton 2).
Next — South Vermillion (4-4) plays Cloverdale at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Bloomfield (8-1) plays Shakamak at 8:30 p.m.
