Eagles win tough battle with Edgewood

Saturday, November 14, 2015
South Putnam's Miranda Bieghler (12) wrestles the ball from an Edgewood player as Katie Hewitt (20) applies defensive pressure. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

A low-scoring bout between the South Putnam girls' basketball team and Edgewood turned into a close finished that hinged on some Eagle free throws. Fortunately for South Putnam the Eagles knocked them down and walked away with the 40-37 win.

"I think the biggest part is that Edgewood is a great defensive team," Eagle coach Brian Gardner said. "They put some pressure on us and were physical. That's kind of the way we play. So there were two defensive teams really battling each other, and when you do that it's really hard to get some points."

The physical game only saw five points from the Eagles in the first quarter and Edgewood was making it difficult for them to score in the post. South Putnam was able to force the Lady Mustangs into some tough situation and held Edgewood to seven.

Eagle Jessica Modglin takes the ball into the paint Friday during the South Putnam girls' win against Edgewood. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

The game continued to be a grind it out game into the second quarter and fouls became a factor for South Putnam but it didn't stop the Lady Eagles from playing tough defense.

"When you go against a great defensive team you've got to match that intensity," Gardner said. "For me that's the exciting part. We matched the intensity that Edgewood showed up with. At one point in the second quarter we had four starters with two fouls and we were trying to put ourselves in position. We got a bucket there at the end of the half and I felt like that was some good momentum."

At halftime Edgewood had a 17-13 lead and in the second half the scoring picked up, Miranda Bieghler came to life and knocked down two jumpers and a three to help the Eagles score 15 points in the third quarter, after just scoring eight in the second.

Gardner said there was a difference between playing hard and smart and he said he believed the Eagles played smarter to get the win.

"When a team is physical against you have to make harder cuts and sharper cuts," Gardner said. "We were rounding off a lot of our cuts and we were not real sharp. We talk about playing hard and playing smart. You can be going really hard but not getting that sharp cut. Playing smart is about getting that sharp cut.

Gardner believes that the second half scoring was attributed to the the sharp cuts and the ability of South Putnam's players to make moves toward the basket.

"We did some good things to get into position and get easy buckets," Gardener said. "Miranda did a good job of getting into the lane and creating things for us. This was a great team win for us."

South Putnam had a 28-24 lead going into the fourth quarter but the Mustangs fought back and the game went back and forth as it neared conclusion.

With Eagles down 30-28 Bieghler nailed back-to-back threes to keep up with Edgewood.

"We had to go and we had to keep pushing through the adversity we were facing," Bieghler said. "That's what we did. We pushed through as a team."

Then with the score tied at 34, Katie Hewitt grabbed a tough rebound and put in the bucket to give South Putnam the lead with a minute to go.

It was then up to Bieghler and Maddie McHugh to knock down the game-sealing free throws and the Eagles were perfect for the 40-37 win.

The Eagles next action will be at the Putnam County Tournament Friday where the Eagles will play a rematch with North Putnam.

South Putnam got the better of the Cougars on Nov. 5 winning 56-44.

At South Putnam

Edgewood 7 10 9 13 -- 37

South Putnam 5 8 15 12 -- 40

Eagle Scoring

14-42 (Bieghler 6-17 6-8 21, Nichols 3-3 6, Stein 3-9 6, 1-4 2-2 4, Hewitt 1-4 2, Capps 0-1 1-2 1)

3-point shots: 3-8 (Bieghler 3-6) Rebounds: Bieghler 7, Hewitt 7, McHugh 4, Stein 4, Carmicheal 4, Modglin 1, Assists: Carmichael 2, Bieghler 1, Steals: Bieghler 4, McHugh 3, Modglin 3, Stein 2, Hewitt 1, McIntosh 1 Blocks: Carmichael 1

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