Spall scores 24, but Tiger boys defeated

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CROTHERSVILLE

The Crothersville boys basketball team took the weather report all too seriously.

The talk was of snow, and the Tigers must have felt they had to help it along with ice-cold shooting from the outside.

A poor night from the field, collecting too many turnovers and getting burned by too many fast breaks and layups did in the Tigers in a home game Monday night.

Christian Academy of Indiana (6-6) dealt Crothersville (1-8) a disappointing 70-45 loss that not even the Tigers’ best veteran players could help avert.

Senior guard Cable Spall fired in 24 points on an assortment of long shots, drives to the basket and free throws, and senior forward Quinten Keasler added seven points and 12 rebounds.

Crothersville fell behind quickly, 14-2 in the first quarter and only once made a serious run at closing that early gap. When the 5-foot-11 Spall made a tough inside move for a basket in the second period, the Tigers inched to within 23-15, though they were also within eight at 25-17 soon after.

Christian Academy almost immediately answered with a strong run, scoring the final eight points of the first half to lead 33-17 at the intermission.

Crothersville coach Bobby Riley took note of Spall’s points and Keasler’s rebounds and praised their performances.

“So I was pleased with their games tonight,” Riley said. “I just have to build the confidence of these younger boys to step in and fill their roles and defend.”

Spall and Keasler accounted for most of Crothersville’s points. The only other scorers were Zach Helt with six points and four players who showed up in the scorebook. Damian Bowman, Elijah Plasse, Devin Morgan and Jacob Moeller each put up two points.

“It’s a process,” Riley said of the younger, less experienced Tigers improving, “and if we can stay healthy, we will continue to get better.”

Christian Academy was able to withstand Crothersville’s second-period charge and displayed more weapons offensively. Forward Myles Morgan was high man for the Warriors with 20 points. However, Brady Dunn collected 19 points and Caleb Roy 19, too.

The Warriors shot well from outside when they needed to and scored in a hurry with the running game and also in the half-court game.

Spall almost single-handedly halted a few Warrior runs when Christian Academy stretched its margin to nearly 30 points.

Due to rescheduling from COVID-19 pandemic playing interruptions, Crothersville plays at South Central on Friday night and then hosts a local school, Medora, back in Crothersville on Saturday night.

Christian Academy also won the junior varsity game, although it was much closer. The Warriors won 48-42 and withstood a fourth-quarter challenge from the Tigers.

Matthew Clouse led Crothersville with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Devin Morgan scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

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