Cougars falls to Bruins

Sunday, February 23, 2014
North Putnam junior Michael Roberts puts up a shot against the Tri-West defense. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

ROACHDALE -- North Putnam started off Saturday's boys' basketball contest against Tri-West with a bang and finished the game with its highest scoring quarter output.

In between, though, the Bruins kept the Cougars' offense quiet while slowly building up a double-digit lead in the second half to take a 58-40 win over the hosts.

North Putnam head coach Lukas Haworth said the defeat stung but that there was time to fix some problems that crept back into the Cougars' game.

"One positive from tonight was that we tried harder to execute the game plan that we had and that kept us in the game for a while," Haworth said. "Another positive is that everything we did that cost us the game is fixable.

"We had turnovers we hadn't made for two or three weeks. We missed some shots we had hit the last two to three weeks. We had outrebounded the last three teams we have played but didn't tonight.

"Those things came together at the same time to bite us against a very good Tri-West team."

Jordan Nauert blitzed Tri-West in the opening minutes of the game, knocking down three straight threes to give the hosts a 9-2 advantage. The Cougars led after the first period 13-10, with Nauert having scored 11 in the quarter.

The Bruins settled into the game in the second period and took their first lead on a Trevor Waite three and later for good on another Waite basket.

Tri-West scored the final six points of the half to take a 23-17 lead into halftime but it was the lack of offense from the hosts that had Haworth concerned.

"We need to do a better job as coaches and as players seeing that when a player has a big quarter that the defense is going to adjust," Haworth said. "They're going to try and take those players out of their rhythm.

"That's going to open up shooting opportunities for other players. When Tri-West tried to take Jordan and later Bennett out of the game, we weren't able to take advantage of it and that's something we have to do a better job of."

The visitors broke the game open with a 9-2 run to start the second half to take a 32-19 lead as the North Putnam offense looked for any spark.

Bennett Hazelgrove took over the reins and scored the next 10 Cougar points to keep the game from getting completely away from the hosts.

By the time Nauert hit his first basket of the second half midway through the fourth quarter, though, Tri-West had increased the lead to its highest point at 48-29.

The two teams traded baskets and free throws for the remaining four minutes of play as the hosts could not threaten the Bruin lead and fell to .500 for the season.

Even with the defeat, Haworth said the Cougars had played well against two high-level teams.

"I'm proud of the effort the boys put in this weekend," Haworth said. "I'm proud of what they did this weekend. We can take what we did in these last two games against two quality opponents and use them to move forward."

Now midway through a four-game home stand to finish the season, North Putnam sits with a 9-9 record after having lost the opening pair of games.

The Cougars found out Sunday they will face county rival South Putnam in the sectional play, but Haworth said the tournaement is not on his mind yet with back-to-back games against Turkey Run and Fountain Central on Monday and Tuesday.

"One of the goals this season that the team set was to be above .500," Haworth said. "We can't do that without a win on Monday. It won't matter who we draw for the sectional because that's not who we play Monday night.

"The guys come in every day saying that we're 0-0 and Turkey Run is the only team that can beat us. We'll come out ready to take care of business Monday night and do the same thing on Tuesday night."



At North Putnam
Tri-West 10 13 16 19 -- 58
North Putnam 13 4 7 16 -- 40
Tri-West --
Waite 17, Musial 11, Vervynckt 11, Ragsdale 6, Gadberry 4, Sprecher 4, Wilson 3, Pfeifer 2, Miller 0, Grubbs 0, Rutherford 0; Totals -- 21-50 FG, 3-11 3-FG, 13-15 FT
North Putnam --
Hazelgrove 17, Nauert 17, Beaman 2, Roberts 2, Riggen 2, Green 0, Hall 0, Jeter 0, Flynn 0, Judy 0, Munns 0; Totals -- 13-42 FG, 3-16 3-FG, 8-12 FT
Rebounds (Offensive):
TW 30 (10), NP 23 (7). Assists: TW 7, NP 6. Steals: TW 8, NP 4. Blocks: TW 2, NP 1. Turnovers: TW 9, NP 16. Fouls: TW 17, NP 16.
Next Game: North Putnam (9-9, 3-2 WCC) hosts Turkey Run (2-17) Monday night.

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