Lady Cougars can't overcome Cadets

Saturday, December 20, 2014
Kaitlin Mindiola drives the baseline trying to find an open teammate. (Banner Graphic/JOHNATHON GOODE)

ROACHDALE--The North Putnam girls' basketball team could not get the job done in the first game of a boys and girls doubleheader Friday night. They hosted the Cascade Cadets and lost 54-20.

"It was a tough team to match up against," Coach Chase Hiland said. "They (Cascade) shot the ball really well. I think Rasnake hit five consecutive threes. They did a really good job."

Coach Jim Spencer was absent on the night, so he could watch his son, Hank, play in the NCAA Division III football national championship. In his place was assistant head coach Chase Hiland.

The Cougars only came away with two points in the first quarter.

"Coach Spencer is the guy that has taught them," Hiland said. "When he's gone there is always going to be some kind of slippage. I think that was definitely the case tonight. There was a slippage and a lack of focus. That's the way sports are. Collegiate, pro and high school are all the same in that regard. The head coach's presence just sometimes provides tangible things. He definitely would've helped tonight, but he wasn't here."

The three-point shooting that the Cadets posed was no bright side for the Cougars either. Freshman Hannah Rasnake hit six threes, including five straight in the first half. She had 21 total points to lead all scores. The Cadets as a team hit 10.

Cascade went up at halftime, 49-18. On 11 made field goals they had seven assists.

The second half was no different from what was seen in the first half except for the Cougars putting up nine points in the third. They only scored two in the fourth quarter after all the reserves had been sentr to the floor.

North Putnam's Taylor Nauert scored eight points to lead her team and she also led with eight rebounds.

"We did get better throughout the game," Hiland said. "That's always a good thing. Cascade just did a good job of putting pressure on us and forcing turnovers. Our transition game was off. They exploited that really early. The good thing is we get to see what we need to improve on."

The Cougars will take a couple off weeks off before participating in the Speedway tournament on Jan. 3.


At North Putnam

Cascade 17 14 18 5--54

North Putnam 2 7 9 2--21

Scoring

Cascade: Rasnake 21, Collier 11, Norris 4, Stinnett 4, Walker 4, Bryant 3, Bell 2, Burke 2, Smith 2, Cleveland 1.

North Putnam: Nauert 8, Henninger 5, Clodfelter 3, Millican 2, Mindiola 2.

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