Fast start propels GHS past Eagles

Friday, January 12, 2007

A slow start can doom a basketball team.

On Friday, the South Putnam High School boys' basketball squad found that out.

Greencastle outscored the Eagles, 24-5, en route to a 65-46 win over South Putnam Friday evening at the McAnally Center.

The Tiger Cubs improved to 7-5 overall and 3-0 in the West Central Conference while the Eagles dropped to 2-9 overall and 0-4 in league play.

"That's everything there is," SPHS coach Brian Gardner said following Friday's game. "You come out in the first quarter and you're flat. Now you have to play from behind the enter game.

"A four or five point run is not going to get anything back. We had to scratch and claw."

Greencastle's quick start Friday came courtesy of a stifling defense in addition to the offensive play of junior Brennan Burks, who tallied 17 in the frame.

"We knew it was important to get off to a good start," GHS coach Troy Greenlee said. "All year, our offense has been predicated by our defense. We were able to get some turnovers and convert them into baskets."

The Tiger Cubs forced South Putnam into six turnovers in the first quarter while hitting 9-of-14 shots, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.

"We always have a (bad) quarter," Gardner said. "For some reason, we were flat coming out."

Burks opened the game with a three but South's Derek Cash answered with a bucket of his own.

Then the Tiger Cubs went on a 11-0 run to take a convincing 14-2 lead.

Following a basket by South Putnam's Conor Frame, Burks and Drew Evens responded with buckets and Burks closed the first quarter with back-to-back buckets for the 19-point lead.

But the Eagles played even with the Tiger Cubs the remainder of the contest, outscoring GHS in the second and fourth periods.

Greenlee took the blame for not getting Burks more involved in the offense inthe second period after his onslaught in the first quarter. The junior had just two points in the quarter but finished the game with 28.

He also said the Tiger Cubs' defense wasn't as harsh after the first period.

"We can be a good defensive team, but we also have lapses on defense," Greenlee said.

The Eagles clawed their way back to as close as 14 points early in the third period before GHS went on a 16-5 run to take a 50-25 lead with 2:38 left in the period.

The Tiger Cubs extended their lead to as many as 27 midway through the final period before both coaches emptied their benches.

In addition to Burks' 28, Greencastle got 14 from Zac Remsburg and eight from Evens.

South Putnam was paced by Frame's 11 points off the bench while Cash finished with seven points.

The Tiger Cubs will face Danville at home today, with the junior varsity starting at 6:30 p.m. South Putnam will face Monrovia at home Friday.

At Greencastle

South Putnam 5 11 16 14 -- 46

Greencastle 24 10 21 10 -- 65

South Putnam -- Anderson 3-9 2-2 8, Nees 1-5 2-3 4, Cash 3-4 1-2 7, Boswell 2-4 1-1 5, Parker 2-6 0-0 4, Frame 4-5 2-2 11, Tomaw 1-2 0-1 2, Hammond 0-0 0-0 0, Sebanc 1-1 0-0 2, Chestnut 1-3 0-0 2, Masters 0-1 0-0 0, Welty 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 18-42 FG, 8-11 FT, 46 TP.

Greencastle -- Burgeson 2-5 0-0 5, Faust 0-4 0-0 0, Richardson 1-3 2-2 5, Smiley 0-1 0-0 0, Burks 12-16 1-1 28, Evens 4-5 0-1 8, Miller 2-6 0-1 4, Remsburg 5-9 1-1 13, Marshall 0-3 0-0 0, Bartrum 0-1 0-0 0, Walker 0-1 0-0 0, Nobles 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 27-55 FG, 4-6 FT, 65 TP.

3-pt. FG -- SPHS 1-10 (Frame 1-1), GHS 7-14 (Burks 3-3). Rebounds -- SPHS 21 (Parker 7), GHS 22 (Burks 5). Blocks -- SPHS 3 (Cash 2), GHS 1 (Smiley). Assists -- SPHS 9 (Tomaw, Nees 3), GHS 15 (Richardson 7). Steals -- SPHS 3 (Anderson, Nees, Masters), GHS 4 (Remsburg 2). Total Fouls -- SPHS 13, GHS 16. Fouled Out -- None. Turnovers -- SPHS 17, GHS 11.

Next Games -- The Tiger Cubs (7-5, 3-0) face Danville at home today. South Putnam (2-9, 0-4) take on Monrovia at home Friday.

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