Cougars get road win over Eagles

NASHVILLE – After a close first half, North Putnam used a 47-point second half, including a 28-point third quarter, to outrun Brown County 72-44 in a WIC boys’ basketball contest Saturday.

Without the services of Nolan Hackleman, the Cougars (9-8, 5-4 WIC) struggled for a stretch of the first half, eventually taking a six-point lead into halftime before crushing the Eagles (0-15, 0-7) in the third quarter to seal the win.

The visitors started brightly with a 9-2 lead thanks to baskets from Jaylen Windmiller and Isaac Pickel, a three from Brayden Monnett and two Brady Barber free throws.

Brown County eventually settled down and ran off 11-straight points from the end of the first quarter into the start of the second to take a 13-9 lead.

North Putnam answered with a 13-2 run as Kaden Helderman kicked things off with a three, followed by a pair of Monnett triples and a layup and a Windmiller layup as the Cougars went into halftime leading 25-19.

Helderman would be the key to North Putnam’s 28-point third quarter, hitting three early triples around a Monnett three as the Cougars jumped out to a 36-21 lead.

Windmiller added a pair of baskets and a free throw before a Barber basket and another Helderman three extended the lead to 49-23.

Pickel hit two free throws before Helderman hit threes either side of the quarter break to give the visitors a 56-27 advantage.

The lead would grow to as large as 32 in the fourth quarter off a pair of Barber free throws as North Putnam cruised to a fifth-straight win and set up a chance to finish over .500 in conference play with a win at Owen Valley Friday.

Scoring

North Putnam (15-23 2FG; 10-31 3FG; 12-22 FT) — Helderman 23, Monnett 15, Windmiller 13, Barber 12, Pickel 6, Farrington 2, Starr 1

Brown County (15-39 2FG; 3-10 3-FG; 5-12 FT)

Statistics