CROTHERSVILLE

Out of all of the numbers scribbled across the final box score at the scorer’s bench, one jumped off the page for Crothersville High School girls basketball head coach Kevin Hensley.

Thirty team turnovers.

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CHS opened its 2018-19 season with a 45-33 loss to Sectional 62 foe West Washington in Henryville Tip-Off Tournament action on Tuesday.

On top of the giveaways, the Class A No. 18 Tigers (0-1) scored just 10 points in the second half, including three points in the fourth quarter.

“We were throwing ridiculously long passes,” Hensley said. “We weren’t thinking. On the press break, we got mixed up. Our bigs were trying to bring the ball up and our guards were up at the other end. We can’t be having that. We lost our heads tonight, and you can’t do that against a good team.”

In the opening quarter, the Tigers’ 3-point shooting kept them in the game.

The first eight minutes saw 12 Tigers turnovers, including 10 in the first five minutes.

The Senators (1-0), ranked No. 9 in Class A preseason polls, jumped to a 7-3 lead before back-to-back baskets by Bekah Cook tied the game with 5:05 on the clock.

Making the most of the Tigers’ errors, the Senators scored seven unanswered points with 2:40 left in the first quarter.

Maddie Riley and Piper Hensley each hit shots from deep to cut into the Senators lead, but the Tigers trailed 17-13 at the end of the first.

The Tigers opened the second quarter on a 6-2 run, in part of a 3-pointer by Makayla Helt, before a free throw by Nihnah Burton tied the game at 19 with 3:11 left in the half.

The Senators answered with a 7-2 run before a buzzer-beating layup from the Grace Wilson ended the half, with the Tigers down 26-23.

In the first half, the Tigers had 19 turnovers while the Senators totaled 13.

Cook and Hensley each had six points at the break while Maddie Bowsman had 12 for the Senators.

The Senators came out of the intermission on fire, going on an 11-0 run by the 4:09-mark.

Riley stopped the bleeding with a 3-pointer, with 3:31 left in the third quarter, before adding five more points before the buzzer.

At the end of three quarter, the Tigers trailed 37-30.

The Tigers had as many points as they did turnovers in the final eight minutes of play.

Neither team put points on the board until the Senators’ Hattie Griffitts split free throws with 3:52 left in the game.

From 2:57 to 1:24 the Senators added five more points to go up 43-31, putting the game out of reach.

In the fourth quarter, the Tigers had one field goal and made one of six free throw attempts.

“It was like we were dazed. We weren’t running an offense,” coach Hensley said. “We need to get better and have more composure. We had kind of had a panicked look in our eyes tonight.”

The Senators finished with 23 turnovers to the Tigers’ 30. The visitors outrebounded the hosts 33-30, with Cook led the Tigers with 10 boards.

“I told the girls that even on a bad night, we were still in the ball game,” coach Hensley said. “It shows that if we can get everyone dialed in, we can play well. Bekah played one of her better games ever and Maddie played phenomenal.”

Riley led the Tigers with 10 points and Bowsman had 17 points to go along with eight rebounds.

The Tigers will host the Senators again on Dec. 13. This year’s sectional tournament will be held at Edinburgh High School.

CHS will continue tournament action on Thursday, as they travel to Class 2A No. 8 South Ripley.

After that, the remaining tourney games will be played at Henryville on Saturday. Pool play will conclude with the Tigers playing Indianapolis Manual at 11:45 a.m.

Placings/crossover matchups will take place at 6 p.m. and 7:45.

Other teams in the tournament include 2A No. 22 Austin, Henryville, Southwestern (Hanover) and Clarksville.

“It’s a long season,” coach Hensley said. “We’re just trying to get better every game. We would rather look like a November team than a January team. We thought we peaked too early last year. We don’t want to do it until late January. I want to see gradual improvement.”