Cougars rally stalls in loss to Wildcats

Seniors Bethany Wiatt (left) and Madi Asbell (right) and sophomore Taylor Nauert trap the South Vermillion offensive player. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

ROACHDALE -- The North Putnam girls' basketball team rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to take a lead with 1:23 left but the push fell short and the Cougars lost to visiting South Vermillion 52-45 on Tuesday.

Senior Bethany Wiatt was quiet for much of the game but dominated the fourth, scoring 11 points, grabbing three rebounds and five steals in the period, all with four fouls.

After she fouled out with 50 seconds left the Cougars (1-4, 0-0 WCC) were scoreless the rest of the way and the Wildcats made 6-of-8 free throws.

"Since I took over the program last year, this is the first time they've fought back," NPHS coach Curtis Lawrence said. "Tonight they just had the mindset that, we're not done. We're going to put on a little run. We're going to get ourselves back in it."

Down 10 with 5:42 left in the game, North Putnam was forced back into their full court zone press. The strategy had modest success early in the game, but the team backed off when sophomore center Taylor Nauert got into foul trouble.

Trailing and desperate, they had no choice but to get back into the trap. It worked flawlessly.

The Wildcats (1-4, 0-1 WIC) turned the ball over on eight consecutive possessions and North Putnam tore off an 8-0 run before Nauert fouled out. Deflated but not defeated, Wiatt hit a jumper to tie the game, forced another turnover and got to the line for a 1-and-1 try.

She hit the first, giving NPHS its first lead since 4-2 late in the first quarter.

"If we could bottle that (late mentality) and continue that for 32 minutes, we'd be a pretty good team," Lawrence said. "If we could bottle that up, I'd be a rich man because I'd be able to sell it to a lot of schools."

Wiatt missed the second, the Wildcats scored on their next possession and Wiatt fouled out seconds later on a questionable foul call that took the life from the Cougars.

While she had struggled much of the game shooting, senior Madi Asbell tried to will her team back by taking the ball straight to the basket. She missed, but junior Kaitlin Mindiola got the offensive rebound and was fouled on a put-back attempt.

Both free throws missed and Asbell fouled out trying to extend the game.

Wiatt finished with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, eight steals and a block. Nauert had 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Asbell had eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

The teams ended the first quarter tied but SouthVermillion outscored the Cougars 22-11 in the second, hitting open shots from outside when NPHS opted to pack the paint and try to prevent drives and offensive rebounds.

"If we play any kind of a second quarter, that game is ours," Lawrence said. "The second quarter killed us. If we play any kind of a second quarter at all, we win that ball game."

For the game, the Wildcats made 5-of-13 3-pointers and 19-of-27 free throws. The Cougars were 0-4 and 11-18.

Sophomore Samantha Rigsby had 12 points and 11 rebounds and junior Kaci Mack had 13 points for the Wildcats.

Junior Kayla Clodfelter led the Cougars with 10 rebounds. North Putnam had a season-low 17 turnovers and outrebounded South Vermillion 44-38 for the game.

North Putnam is off until Tuesday, Dec. 3 when it plays at Riverton Parke at 7:30 p.m.

At North Putnam
South Vermillion.....4 22 12 14 -- 52
North Putnam.........4 11 15 15 -- 45