Cougar girls' can't mount comeback

CLAYTON -- The North Putnam girls' basketball team fought back after an early deficit and had two good quarters defensively but ultimately fell to its WCC Eastern division rival Cascade 63-42.

Cascade jumped a 31-13 first quarter lead which placed the Cougars into an early hole. But North Putnam battled back and was able to hold the Cadets to just six points in the second while scoring 13. Shelby Suding led the Cougars in scoring with 10 and Nauert was second with nine.

The Cougar scoring was stifled in the third. While holding Cascade to eight points, the Lady Cadets held the Cougars to just four.

North Putnam went 5-10 from downtown and shot 38 percent from the field.

Unfortunately for Cougar fans, Cascade outscored North Putnam 18-12 in the final quarter to take the victory. North Putnam went 7-17 from the foul line and Nauert and Suding led the Cougars with 7 rebounds.

North Putnam (2-2) will now play South Putnam (3-1) in the second match of the Putnam County Tournament Friday. The Cougars will be looking to even the score after the South Putnam 56-44 victory on Nov. 5.

At Cascade

NP 13 13 4 12 -- 42

Cs 31 6 8 18 -- 63

Cougar Scoring:

15-39 (Suding 5-12 10, Nauert 3-9 2-2 9, Henninger 2-4 4-9 8, Smith 2-4 6, Runnells 2-6 0-1 5, Duncan 1-2 1-3 4)

3-pt shots: 5-10 Smith (Smith 2-2, Duncan 1-1, Runnels 1-2, Naeurt 1-4, Suding 0-1) Rebounds: 26 (Suding 7, Nauert 7, Henninger 5, Duncan 4, Smith 2, Parent 1) Ast 8 (Nauert 5, Henninger 2, Suding 1) Steals: 6 (Henninger 4, Suding 2) Blocks: 7 (Suding 3, Nauert 2, Henninger 2)