Cougars get back on track

Saturday, January 28, 2017

SPENCER — The North Putnam Cougars rode an aggressive defense and timely free-throw shooting to a 74-60 boys’ basketball victory over Owen Valley Friday night in the ninth-place crossover game of the Western Indiana Conference.

The Cougars spurted to a little 5-0 run to start the contest as the North Putnam defense caused havoc, creating seven turnovers in the quarter.

Owen Valley, however, overcame that to score 13 points but trailed 18-13 at the end of one period.

North Putnam junior Elliot Gross kept up his fine recent play, scoring seven points in the opening quarter en route to a game-high 28 points.

The second quarter started with a Preston Porter trey. The Cougar defense stayed aggressive, causing seven more turnovers and only allowing nine points.

The Cougar offense scored 18 points in both the first and second periods to give the visitors a 36-22 halftime cushion.

Coming out of the half, Owen Valley threw a press at North Putnam, causing eight Cougar turnovers.

Meanwhile, Patriot big man Jonah Arthur had a huge third quarter, scoring 17 of his 28 points as Owen Valley crept within 11 points at 55-44.

With 4:14 left in the third period, the Patriots’ Robert Herrington picked a technical foul. North’s Porter converted both of the technical foul shots and then hit a big three-pointer.

Porter was 5-of-9 from the three-point arc and scored 19 points on the night.

When the fourth quarter started, Owen Valley coach Rodger Fleetwood had the Patriots fouling every other possession, forcing North Putnam to hit some free throws.

With 5:25 left in the game North Putnam senior Duke Duff picked up his fifth foul, causing Dylan Webster to finish the game. Webster hit big three-pointer and Treyton Smith was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line down the stretch to ice the game.

NORTH PUTNAM (74) — Smith 3-4 7-8 16, Duff 0-3 0-0 0, Judy 2-3 0-0 4, Porter 0-1 4-4 19, Gross 11-13 6-13 28, Webster 2-3 2-3 9, Mitchel 0-2 0-0, Pickel 0-3 2-2 2. Totals 18-32 21-30

OWEN VALLEY (60) — Herrington 3-5 3-6 9, Light 4-6 2-3 16, Heckman 0-1 5-10 5, Arthur 12-18 4-5 28, Wood 0-1 0-0 3, N. Boyd 1-1 0-0 2, C. Boyd 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-33 14-24 60.

North Putnam 18 18 19 19 — 74

Owen Valley 13 9 22 16 — 60

3-point shooting — North Putnam 7-15 (Smith 1-3, Porter 5-9, Webster 1-2), Owen Valley 3-14 (Wrightsman 0-1, Light 2-4, Heckman 0-1, Arthur 0-2, Wood 1-5, N. Boyd 0-1).

Next game — North Putnam (6-10) hosts South Vermillion on Feb. 4. Owen Valley fell to 4-12.

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