SPRINGFIELD — Ireland Jones’ debut as a point-post couldn’t have got off to a much better start.
Jones made her first five field-goal attempts and scored Clever’s first 13 points in the Lady Jays’ 69-58 White Division win versus Chadwick at the Pink & White Tournament on Wednesday.
Jones finished 9-of-14 from the field while scoring 20 points.
“I was thinking, ‘Okay, I can actually do this. I'm doing good with it,’” Jones said of her hot start. "For 5-(foot)-5, that was pretty good.
"I’ve been working on high-post work because I'm not familiar with it," she added. "I practiced repetitively to make sure I had the shooting and footwork down. This morning I was in the gym at 8 working on shots just like I did in the game.
"I had to make sure when I was coming off those curls that I was squaring myself to the basket," she added. "I can't back down a post player because I'm 5-5. I had to make sure I was quick and moving with the ball."
The senior point guard’s move to the post was made specifically as part of the Lady Jays’ game plan against Chadwick.
“I knew with the defense Chadwick plays in their 1-2-2 zone, they apply a lot of pressure up top,” Clever coach Clark Satterlee said. “Whatever the defense, there’s going to be some spot where they're not as good. I knew the high-post area would be open and that's where we were going to try to get Ireland the ball.
“I wanted to put Ireland where she can be aggressive with the ball and look to score,” he added. “I wasn't envisioning her scoring the first four or five baskets. She did a good job being ready and taking what the defense gave her.”
Jones’ 20 points put her within 39 of the 1,000-point milestone.
“I hope I get it this week,” she said.
Clever’s offense was operating on all cylinders. The Lady Jays jumped out to leads of 13-2 and 30-15. Their biggest lead was 19, 58-39.
Kenzie Camp and Bailee McClanahan both scored 15 points and Jayleign Flood added 10.
McClanahan netted a career-high five 3-point goals.
“Usually, I'm a little hesitant. But tonight, I wasn't nervous at all shooting the ball," McClanahan said. “I was feeling it.”
“Bailee was on fire,” Jones said. “I was so proud of her. Her 3s are beautiful.”
Satterlee hopes it proves to be a breakthrough performance for McClanahan.
“I've got all the confidence in Bailee,” Satterlee said. “When I first took the job (at Clever), I had a one-on-one with every girl to get to known them. I was rebounding for them and letting them talk. I remember being on the floor and Bailee was hitting every shot. I told her, 'Your shot is awesome.' She told me her confidence was not very high and I said, ‘You literally just made 80 percent of your shots, why do you not have any confidence?'
“She stepped into her shots tonight and knocked them down and we did a good job of finding her,” he added.
Chadwick’s debut in the Pink & White couldn’t have started much worse.
“They got off to a good start and we didn’t," coach Shaun Guerin said.
Chadwick (6-1) was 2-for-10 from 3-point land.
“That’s four games in a row we haven't shot the ball well,” Guerin said.
Chadwick came into the contest giving up an average of 32.6 points a game, but had already allowed 40 by halftime. The Lady Cardinals gave a better account of themselves while outscoring Clever 33-29 I the second half.
Rae Little had a game-high 27 points and Kerrigan Guerin had 15.
Clever (7-3) moves on to meet No. 1 seed Greenwood (Arkansas) in a second-round game today at 6:30 p.m
“I feel like we always get the No.1 seed,” Jones said, noting the Lady Jays met No. 1 Grain Valley last year. “We’re going to give it our best."
