Eels slip past South Putnam for win 61-37

Monday, January 5, 2009
South Putnam's Cameron Chestnut (No. 11) blocks a shot from Clay City's Logan Higgins in the championship game of the Eagle Holiday Classic on Saturday night.

Clay City coach Grant McVay watched the South Putnam Eagles win the Putnam County Classic in early December and came away knowing that if the two teams played, it could not be a half-court, grind it out basketball game.

"It was very important that we dictate the personality of the game, given the way our two squads matched up. If we played a traditional half-court game with them, I think [South Putnam] could quite possibly beat us, that's how good a job a they do getting the ball inside to (Noah) Boswell, (Conor) Frame and (Adam) Masters," McVay said.

And the Eels' plan worked, for by trapping and pressing South Putnam all over the court, Clay City captured the Eagle Holiday Classic championship 61-37 at South Putnam High School on Saturday night.

"It was (Clay City's) defense. They were up in our face. And then, when we got into our half-court offense we stood and watched the person with the ball. We didn't cut and we didn't screen to score and there was too much standing. We didn't get into our offense. I do credit (Clay City's) defense there," first-year South Putnam coach Micah Elliott said.

In the consolation game, North Vermillion held off Cascade 71-68.

Clay City's defense forced South Putnam into 23 turnovers. Boswell netted 13 points, but was the only Eagle in double figures, as the Eels held Masters scoreless and limited Frame to seven shots. Cameron Chestnut, who had 17 points on Friday against North Vermillion, scored six points and attempted just two shots.

"We didn't play smart. We played in a hurry. I definitely credit their defense (us playing in a hurry)," Elliott said.

On the other side, Clay City committed just nine turnovers for the contest.

Clay City led 18-11 after one quarter and 33-23 at halftime. The Eels opened the second half with a 9-0 run and led 42-23 before Drew Cash got the Eagles on the scoreboard with a three-point bucket with 2--05 left in the period.

South Putnam trailed 42-28 going into the fourth quarter and never got closer.

South Putnam shot 44 percent (15-34) from the floor and held Clay City to 42 percent (20-48), but those 23 turnovers made all the difference.

"Coach McVay always has his team ready to play. He did a very nice job. Their kids worked extremely hard. They outworked us tonight," Elliott said.

Life doesn't get any easier for the Eagles next week as they open a three-game road trip. They travel to Class A No. 3-ranked Rockville on Friday, visit Eminence on Saturday and play at Greencastle Jan. 16.

At South Putnam

Championship game

Clay City 18 5 9 19 -- 61

South Putnam 11 12 5 9 -- 37

Clay City (61) -- Kennedy 2-14 2-3 7, Defore 2-4 2-2 6, Seymour 4-4 5-7 13, Rhodes 3-7 1-2 10, Griffith 6-11 2-2 18, Higgins 3-5 1-2 7, Heffner 0-2 0-2 0, Newton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-48 FG, 13-20 FT, 61 TP.

South Putnam (37) -- Dean 0-4 1-2 1, Boswell 5-9 3-3 13, Masters 0-3 0-0 0, Frame 3-7 0-0 6, Chestnut 2-2 1-2 6, Vickery 0-0 0-1 0, Nelson 4-5 0-2 8, Cash 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 15-34 FG, 5-10 FT, 37 TP.

3-Pt. Goals -- CC 8-15 (Griffith 4-6, Rhodes 3-5, Kennedy 1-3, Newton 0-1), SP 2-4 (Chestnut 1-1, Cash 1-2, Nelson 0-1).

Next game -- South Putnam (3-6) travels to Rockville on Friday. Clay City (4-3) plays Vincennes Rivet on Wednesday in the Greene County Invitational.

Consolation game

North Vermillion 9 21 16 25 -- 71

Cascade 11 10 16 21 -- 68

North Vermillion (71) -- Leigh 4-9 0-0 12, Buchhaas 9-13 1-2 19, Clark 4-6 0-0 8, Rankin 2-7 2-2 8, Jumps 6-12 11-13 24, Allen 0-1 0-0 0, Clore 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-48 FG, 14-17 FT, 71 TP.

Cascade (68) -- Dunn 4-10 1-2 9, Arthur 3-7 0-0 7, Pelley 3-3 4-6 10, Guthrie 1-6 2-2 4, Waggoner 5-7 0-2 13, Spencer 3-9 0-0 8, Heimansohn 5-5 1-2 11, Alltop 2-3 0-0 6. Totals 26-50 FG, 8-14 FG, 68 TP.

3Pt. Goals -- NV 7-13 (Leigh 4-6, Rankin 2-4, Jumps 1-3), Cas 8-15 (Waggoner 3-4, Alltop 2-3, Spencer 2-6, Arthur 1-2). Total fouls -- NV 13, Cas 18. Fouled out -- Spencer. Turnovers -- NV 18, Cas 18. Rebounds -- NV 25 (Leigh 6), Cas 23 (Pelley 6).

Next game -- Cascade (1-7) plays in the Hendricks County Tourney on Wednesday. North Vermillion (4-5, 0-1 WRC) will host Attica on Friday.

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