Parke Heritage keeps North Putnam at bay

BAINBRIDGE – It is not often that someone can call a high school basketball game efficient. Saturday night at North Putnam was an efficient basketball game by both the Cougars and the visiting Parke Heritage Wolves.

The teams combined to shoot 55 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line with only 18 combined turnovers as the Wolves were able to maintain a small lead most of the game to come away with the 60-54 victory.

The two teams patiently exploited the other team’s weaknesses as both squads took care of the basketball, but the key to the game was a brief stretch at the end of the first half and start of the third quarter as the Wolves outscored the Cougars 8-2 as Treigh Schelsky nailed a three at the buzzer before the half and capped the small run with another three.

The Parke Heritage victory improved its record to 4-2, while the Cougars dropped to 2-2 on the season.

“We did a lot of things well tonight. I have seen a lot of growth tonight. We shot the ball pretty well tonight. I thought we turned the ball over a few more times than we would like. We want to continue to grow. I was really proud of how we battled,” North Putnam head coach Vince Brooks said.

The Cougars got off to good start. Back-to-back three pointers by Kaden Helderman gave the Cougars an early 10-5 lead and North still led 14-12 after Brady Barber hit a free throw with 1:10 left in the first quarter.

Parke Heritage’s Max Dowd canned a three-pointer and then converted a lay-up to finish the quarter as the visitors took a 17-14 lead heading into the second period.

The Wolves would never relinquish that lead, but also never took more than a 10-point lead as the two teams matched each other shot for shot.

Brayden Luce hit a three-pointer and Carter Crum hit a pair of free throws for the Wolves to take a 22-14 lead, but Nolan Hackleman would answer with a three-pointer for the Cougars.

Again, five straight points by Schelsky gave the Wolves a 29-20 lead and again the Cougars answered as Matt Farrington hit a layup, Isaac Pickel nailed a three-pointer and the Cougars had the deficit down to four points at 29-25.

The Wolves would patiently wait out the clock and Schelsky nailed one from deep for a 32-25 halftime lead.

“(Schelsky) hit some shots. Some really tough shots, really deep shots. He is a really good player,” Brooks said.

The teams traded early buckets in the third quarter before Schelsky nailed another one from deep as the Wolves led 37-27 early in the period.

Hackleman was able to knock down a pair of free throws and the Cougars got buckets from Pickel and Barber to cut the lead to 43-36 after three quarters of action.

Each team traded buckets throughout the fourth quarter. Schelsky’s four early points were answered by a Helderman three-pointer, a Farrington layup and a three-pointer by Hackleman,

Another Hackleman layup and a Helderman trey got the Cougars within three points at 54-51, but Renn Harper would knock down a pair of free tosses.

Hackleman again scored to cut the lead to three, but the Wolves were able to convert from the foul line down the stretch and to set the final margin at 60-54.

“I thought we made a lot of really smart plays tonight. We are getting better and we continue to grow. That is all you ask of a team,” Brooks said.

The Cougars were led by Hackleman with 22 points while Helderman added 12 for North Putnam. Schelsky had 20 points for the Wolves and Harper added 14 while Luce chipped in with 13.

“Nolan had a great weekend (22 points at Sullivan). He is really playing well,” Brooks said.

The Cougars will travel next Friday to Northview for an important Western Indiana Conference game and then host another conference opponent in Indian Creek on Saturday night.

PARKE HERITAGE (60) – Dowd 2-3 0-0 5, Schelsky 6-9 4-4 20, Tidwell 1-1 0-0 2, Luce 4-13 3-4 13, Harper 5-10 3-4 14, Crum 2-2 2-2 6. Totals 20-39 FG, 12-14 FT, 60 TP.

NORTH PUTNAM (54) – Helderman 4-8 0-0 12, Pickel 4-4 0-1 9, Barber 2-4 1-2 7, Farrington 2-3 0-0 4, Hackleman 6-7 7-8 22, Windmiller 0-2 0-0 0, Woodall 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-30 FG, 8-11 FT, 54 TP.

3-point shooting – PH 8-21 (Dowd 1-2, Schelsky 4-6, Luce 2-9, Harper 1-4), NP 10-21 (Helderman 4-8, Pickel 1-1, Barber 2-3, Farrington 0-1, Hackleman 3-4, Windmiller 0-2, Woodall 0-2) Rebounds – PH 17 (Dowd 2, Schelsky 3, Luce 1, Harper 5, Crum 4) NP – 16 (Pickel 6, Barber 2, Farrington 2, Hackleman 1, Windmiller 1, Woodall 3) FG Pct. – PH 51.3, NP 60.0. FT Pct. – PH 85.7, NP 72.7. Turnovers – PH 6, NP 12.