Show of sportsmanship tops off North Putnam season

Sunday, March 9, 2014
North Putnam senior Beau Green, pictured here in a game earlier this season, was forced to miss the Cougars' sectional games with a heart condition. However, Green was given the chance to score the Cougars' final bucket of the season late in their loss to Speedway. (Banner Graphic/ JARED JERNAGAN)

The North Putnam Cougars basketball season ended Friday night with a loss in the semifinals to the 12th-ranked Speedway Sparkplugs.

This game, in the end, was more than just a loss. It was a culmination to an excellent season for the Cougars.

The game ended with a tremendous show of sportsmanship in the waning seconds by Speedway coach Chuck Bennett.

North Putnam senior Beau Green did not think he would play another basketball game in his career due to pains in his chest he had been having since December.

The doctors figured out that Green had a slow and irregular heartbeat and he was not cleared to play in Tuesday's or Friday's game, but he remained optimistic.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to play for most of the game, but I had an optimistic feeling that coach would let me play a minute or so if I asked him to," Green said.

As the game went along and Speedway got further and further ahead, Green and coach Lukas Haworth made eye contact near the end of the game and Green could sense that Haworth knew he wanted to get in the game regardless of what the doctors said.

A couple minutes later assistant coach Craig Smith slid Green over to scorer's table to check in while Haworth was coaching.

Both crowds stood and applauded as he went in, and the Cougar cheerblock chanted his name. Green said it was amazing to see the crowd support him like that.

"We wanted to let him score because he plays so hard and we just wanted to do what we could to reward him with that," Bennett said.

The Cougars inbounded the ball and brought it across the half-court line and passed it to Green in the near corner. The Sparkplugs, in a show of tremendous sportsmanship, cleared the way and let Green lay the ball in for two points and the last points of the senior's memorable career to a standing ovation.

"A sigh of relief went through my body," Green said. "I feel like I did what I needed to for my teammates and our fans."

Bennett was happy to be able to make Green's last bucket memorable.

"Get him a basket," Bennett said. "To be honest with you, in that situation I coach how I would want someone to treat my son. At that point it was the right thing to do -- to watch the reaction of him more than anything.

"That is what he will remember. You cannot replace that," Bennett added. "Then to see the coaching staff and the fans react was great. As soon as he went in I said 'OK we need to do this.' I called my players over and made sure that he got a lay-in. It was great."

Haworth said just one word to describe the way he felt in that moment.

"Love," Haworth said. "Beau is the epitome of what we want this program to be now and to be able to put him in there are their coach giving him the chance to get a bucket was a very classy move."

Even the players were happy when they saw Green check in.

Senior Coy Flynn said that his first thought was they needed to get him the ball for everything he's done all season. He deserved to have the ball in his hands at that moment.

Even though senior Shane Beaman was not there due to an ailment, he said he wishes he was there to see it happen and that it was very special.

Junior Michael Roberts noted that it was great to see Green keep his head up like he did.

"I just thought that it really said something for him to be able find out that he had a heart condition and still be able to finish off his senior year of basketball with such a good attitude and stay positive," Roberts said. "I was just proud to have him as a teammate."

When Green checked in, seniors Bennett Hazelgrove and Josh Munns both agreed that it was great to see him able to finish his career on the court.

The last 20 seconds of the last game in the season for the Cougars really put the cherry on top for a rather impressive season.

The Cougars won 11 games for the first time in 10 years, finished .500 for the first time in seven years, placed second in county and conference. The Cougars also won their first sectional game in 12 years.

All the seniors unanimously agree that it was the best season they have even been a part of.

"It has been amazing. I did not play last year and to play with my friends this year it has been really fun," Green said.

Munns did not play much this season but was a fan favorite and played hard each and every time he was in the game.

"It has been fun. It has been a great year," Munns said. "I think we really set the tone for the seniors next year."

Even though Beaman did not play in the final game he still commended the season as a whole.

"I never enjoyed myself so much in my life," Beaman said. "We are brothers. We will share this bond forever."

Hazelgrove said that he hoped this year really set the tone for North Putnam basketball going forward and senior Jordan Nauert agreed and commented "that is the plan."

Roberts said that the seniors started something new. That no one would have guessed what the Cougars did and they owe it to the seniors.

"They are the class that everyone will hopefully look back and say, these guys started North Putnam basketball," Roberts said.

Finally, first year coach Haworth had one last great thing to say about the 2013-14 North Putnam basketball team.

"I love these guys, I love this team."

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  • What a great story and great sportsmenship, both for the Cougars and the Sparkplugs. I will be praying for Beau and his family.

    -- Posted by interested party on Mon, Mar 10, 2014, at 8:26 AM
  • Nothing but well wishes from our family.

    -- Posted by stacywhite on Mon, Mar 10, 2014, at 3:03 PM
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