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Eagles hold off Rox, 54-50
South Putnam dominated the first three quarters of play against visiting Rockville on Tuesday night, but had to withstand a furious late rally to hold on for a 54-50 victory in the season opener for both teams.
Led by senior Lillie Stein and junior Caitlin Capps, the Eagles roared out of the gate and had a 12-2 lead after just 4:58.
The Eagles were able to find Capps in the middle of the Rockville 2-3 zone for a pair of easy baskets, while Stein hit a trey and added a basket plus a free throw and Miranda Bieghler chipped in with a steal and a breakaway lay up.
Stein and Capps scored the rest of the team’s points over the rest of the period, and the Eagles led 19-8 at the first stop.
Stein opened the second quarter with a trey and Bieghler followed with a layup for a 24-8 lead.
Bieghler had another steal and breakaway layup, adding a free throw after being fouled, late in the half as the Eagles led 31-16 at the intermission.
South Putnam did not let up to start the second half, getting a Lexi Vanihel trey, a Capps basket and a hoop and a trey from Stein to take a 41-23 lead midway through the period.
Rockville scored five straight points to cut the gap to 13, but Alex Bratcher hit a trey followed by a steal and a layup to equal that outburst.
South Putnam still led 46-30 after three periods when the tide turned quickly.
The Rox scored the first six points of the final period, and following a Capps free throw they ran off 12 more in a row to cut the Eagle lead to 47-46 with 2:32 to play.
“The intensity in the first two or two and a half quarters is what we have to have,” South Putnam coach Brian Gardner said. “We got a little tired, and then some of the small things like staying in a stance and keeping a girl in front of you started to go away.
“Offensively, where we were sharp and crisp in the first half we didn’t go meet passes later on,” he said. “Those are the things we can take away from this game. You have to give Rockville credit — they made some plays.”
Bieghler hit a pair of free throws with 1:19 to play to give the Eagles a 3-point cushion, but Rockville’s Karlee Jeffries scored a basket 11 seconds later to cut the deficit back to one.
Stein then buried a trey to give her team a 4-point cushion, and Capps blocked a shot, grabbed the rebound and drove the length of the floor for a layup that put the game away.
“When it gets down to one point, you have to make some plays — and our girls did,” Gardner said. “That’s a big testament to them.”
Rockville added a basket with 24 seconds left, but the Rox would get no closer.
Stein led all scorers with 24 points, while Bieghler and Capps added 11 each. Capps had 10 rebounds to lead the Eagles.
Breedlove paced Rockville with 14 points and Felicity Carrington added 11.
The Eagles will host 3-1 Edgewood on Friday night.
“We have to work is an attention to detail for the entire possession,’ Gardner said. “Some of that is conditioning. We have to make sure we play through all that, and when the momentum shifts you have to dig down and get a stop.”
ROCKVILLE (50) —Breedlove 5-9 4-8 14, Pierce 1-3 1-2 3, Jeffries 4-10 0-0 8, Carrington 3-7 3-4 11, Dugger 2-5 4-5 8, McMullen 2-3 0-0 4, Bettis 1-3 0-0 2, Millspaugh 0-0 0-0 0.
SOUTH PUTNAM (54) — Stein 9-20 2-5 24, Bieghler 4-13 3-3 11, Capps 5-15 1-4 11, Vanihel 1-10 0-0 3, Nichols 0-0 0-0 0, Bratcher 2-4 0-0 5, Hill 0-0 0-0 0, Custis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-61 FG, 6-13 FT, 54 TP
Rockville 8 8 14 20 — 50
South Putnam 19 12 15 8 — 54
3-point shooting — Rockville 2-4 (Carrington 2-3, Pierce 0-1), South Putnam 6-24 (Stein 4-11, Bieghler 0-4, Vanihel 1-6, Bratcher 1-3).
Next game — South Putnam (1-0) hosts Edgewood on Friday.