Greencastle, South Putnam split MS Girls' Basketball titles

Greencastle used a strong first half to win the seventh grade title at the Putnam County Middle School Girls’ Basketball Tournament over South Putnam 26-5. Members of the team include Briar Huey, Megan Cox, Marley Stokes, Brooklyn Boyd, Janae Greenlee, Kaylee Ames, Reagan Labhart, Jasmine Snow, Ruthie Wall and Charlie Hall. The Tiger Cubs were coached by Bobby Johnson and Kyle Ames.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

BAINBRIDGE – Greencastle and South Putnam split titles Thursday night at the Putnam County Middle School Girls’ Basketball Tournament held at North Putnam.

The Tiger Cubs won the seventh grade title with a 26-5 win over the Eagles while South Putnam’s eighth grade team repeated as county champions after defeating the Cougars 39-24.

Seventh Grade

Greencastle’s defense was smothering in the opening game, only allowing five total shots from South Putnam in the first half and taking a 19-0 lead into halftime.

“We tried to enjoy the moment,” Greencastle head coach Benny Johnson said. “This is my first time here in five years and this is a big deal in middle school as you may not get this chance again in middle school or in high school.

“That’s what we talked about when we went into the locker room, to enjoy all of it.”

Janae Greenlee opened the scoring at the free throw line and added the first basket shortly after for a 3-0 lead.

Kaylee Ames hit a pair of free throws before Greenlee scored inside again to make it a 7-0 game.

Megan Cox scored twice on nice feeds inside while Greenlee added a putback basket as the Tiger Cubs led 13-0 after a quarter of play.

The Eagles had trouble getting through an aggressive Greencastle defense as the Tiger Cubs recorded six steals in the opening quarter.

Scoring slowed in the second period but Cox and Ames were able to add baskets around a pair of Greenlee free throws as Greencastle went into halftime with a dream lead.

Sophia Helton got South Putnam on the board to start the second half with a jumper and Elaina Cash added a basket later in the quarter as Greenlee and Cox scored baskets in reply for the Tiger Cubs, who led 24-4 after three quarters of play.

The Eagle defense tightened up in the second half, recording 11 steals across two periods but shots just wouldn’t fall for the team in the fourth quarter as Kamilah Mason recorded a free throw and Cox closed the scoring with a layup for the victorious Tiger Cubs.

“We have to continue to progress,” Johnson said. “We have five or six girls that can handle the ball and we’d like two more.

“We’ll do skill work as that’s what it takes to get better here. If we do that, we’ll have better basketball players when they’re in eighth grade.”

Scoring

South Putnam (2-30 2FG; 0-3 3FG; 1-7 FT) — Helton 2, Cash 2, Mason 1

Greencastle (10-39 2FG; 0-0 3FG; 6-13 FT) — Greenlee 11, Cox 11, Ames 4

Statistics

Eighth Grade

A far closer start was in store for game two as Lyla Rissler knocked down a pair of shots early for the Eagles but Ruby Young answered with a three-point play and basket, while Tori Detro also scored inside to give North Putnam a brief 7-6 lead.

Two Kendall Downing free throws put South Putnam back in front for good while Rissler added a layup as the visitors led 10-7 after a quarter of play.

“My girls continued to play as they have all year long,” South Putnam head coach Ian Wallace said. “They go through lulls, take crazy shots and rely too much on their talent.

“They responded well tonight. Over the last four or five games, we’ve tried to work on one play, one possession at a time and just try to get a score, then another score and another score.”

Young hit two free throws to trim the gap to 10-9 early in the second period but a Rissler three pushed the lead out to four.

Young scored inside again to make it 15-12 but two quick Rissler baskets, the second off a steal, made it a seven-point game and a late basket from Downing and Rissler three gave South Putnam a 24-13 lead at halftime.

North Putnam wouldn’t let the game run away in the third quarter as Brinley Judy opened the second half with a jumper while Young added a free throw to cut the lead to eight.

Adrie Burge hit a pair of free throws for the Eagles that was answered by Ellie Burdine, as was a Downing putback by Detro as the lead hovered near the double-digit line.

Rissler added a jumper and Young a free throw as South Putnam led 30-21 going into the final quarter of play.

The Eagles applied the finishing touch in the final period as Drew Gardner scored on a jumper, Burge hit two free throws and added a putback and a scorebook error allowed Rissler to notch two free throws that capped an 8-0 run.

Young was able to add to free throws but that would be the only scoring for the hosts in the final period as Tessa Mullin added a late shot at the line to close out a second-straight county title for South Putnam.

“This group is a special group as they’ve played together since sixth grade and also played up a year as we didn’t have enough players in the group in front of them,” Wallace said. “I’ve been able to see them grow for three years.

“They’re the most talented group I’ve coached in four years, the most stubborn group and I’m just happy for them, the opportunity to help build the program and am really excited to see them next year as freshmen in our junior varsity and varsity programs.”

Scoring

South Putnam (12-38 2FG; 2-7 3FG; 9-17 FT) — Rissler 20, Downing 6, Burge 6, Bumgardner 3, Pastore 2, Gardner 2

North Putnam (8-23 2FG; 0-1 3FG; 8-17 FT) — Young 15, Detro 4, Judy 3, Burdine 2

Statistics