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North Putnam lets early lead slip away, fall to Eels
By LISA MEYER TRIGG
Editor
BAINBRIDGE -- North Putnam's varsity girls lost a first quarter lead to fall 48-33 to the Eminence Eels Saturday.
The Cougars came out strong with Taylor Alles scoring eight points in the first quarter, Shawna Johnston scoring four and Carlye McGaughey adding a three-pointer to gain a 15-3 lead after eight minutes of play.
"We started out very well," Coach Kevin Smith said. "Early in the game we were agressive with the basketball and shot well. We were defensively good in the first half and we rebounded well in the first quarter."
In the second quarter, however, the Eels were able to add 17 points while holding North Putnam to five, taking a 20-20 tie to the locker room.
"We play our best basketball when we're patient defensively and patient offensively," Eminence coach Brian Udovich said. "We kept our composure and our patience. It seems that in the past we've tried to force too much."
It also helped the Eels to switch to a 2-3 zone defense late in the first quarter after man-to-man coverage failed to contain the Cougars.
Coach Smith agreed his team struggled against the zone.
"We didn't execute too well in the second half. Any time you have a big lead and they come back and take the lead, your mindset changes," Smith said. "We became a little too passive as the game went on."
Eminence went on to score 16 in the third quarter while holding the Cougars to 2, and picked up 12 points in the final period while North Putnam added 11.
The Cougars were coming off a four-game win streak, but Smith said his team did not shoot as well Saturday as they have in recent games.
Overall, Alles led the team with 15 points, Johnston added 10, Shilah Kumaran added a three-pointer, and Elsiana Crosby scored two.
For Eminence, Aulani Sinclair totaled 17, followed by Jacci Martin with 14, Alisha Greene with 8, Dani Merrick with 7 and Megan Ray with 2.
North Putnam next plays Western Boone on Tuesday.
At North?Putnam
Eminence -- 3-17-16-12 -- 48
North Putnam -- 15-5-2-11 -- 33