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Cougars' season ends with loss to Tri-West
SPEEDWAY--The North Putnam Lady Cougars girls' basketball team traveled to Speedway to play the Tri-West Lady Bruins in the third game of the first round of the Class 2A, Sectional 46 Wednesday night.
North Putnam knew entering the game that it would have to play a nearly perfect game against Tri-West, as the Lady Bruins entered the contest with a 13-7 season record.
The Lady Cougars played a terrific first half on both ends of the floor, leading Tri-West at halftime. However, Tri-West outscored North Putnam in the second half to end the Lady Cougars season, 48-30.
Carlye McGaughey hit a three-point shot off of a pass from Taylor Alles with 2:10 left in the first quarter, and that would be the only points scored by the Lady Cougars in the quarter.
However, North Putnam's defense did a solid job against Tri-West in the period, holding the Lady Bruins to seven points in the stanza.
The Lady Cougars got on track in the second quarter, as Megan Robinson, Leah Crosby, and Shilah Kumaran joined McGaughey in the scorebook.
North Putnam outscored Tri-West, 14-8, in the period, while the Lady Cougar defense forced the Lady Bruins to commit four turnovers in the stanza.
North Putnam had battled back to take a 17-15 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Unfortunately, Tri-West's offense got rolling in the second half while North Putnam's shooting turned cold from the field.
The Lady Bruins pulled away from the Lady Cougars in the third quarter, leading 28-21 at the end of the period.
Tri-West continued to stretch their lead in the final period, hitting 12-of-15 free throws during the remainder of the game, allowing the Lady Bruins to outscore the Lady Cougars, 20-9, in the quarter, for the final score of 48-30.
The Lady Cougars out-rebounded the Lady Bruins, 38-25, but the difference in the game turned out to be turnovers, as North Putnam committed 25 versus eight for Tri-West.
"We defended and rebounded very well tonight," commented North Putnam coach Kevin Smith after the game.
"Unfortunately, we weren't able to shoot the ball very well, and the turnovers really hurt us, limiting our shot opportunities, and that hurt us most.
"We lose three seniors who are really outstanding kids. This is my first group that I've had for four years, and they are pretty special to me.
"I hate to see any of them to leave," added Smith.
North Putnam was led in scoring by Robinson with 11 points.
Leah Crosby followed with six, Alles and McGaughey added five each, and Kumaran closed out the Cougar scoring with three points.
Leah Crosby led the Cougars in rebounds with a game-high 15 boards, followed by Alles with nine, Robinson with eight caroms, and Shelby Frye, Elsiana Crosby, and McGaughey had two rebounds each.
Frye, Dakota Malayer, and Leah Crosby each had a blocked shot, Alles had three assists, followed by Leah Crosby who passed for two, and Malayer and McGaughey each had an assist.
Finally, Elsiana Crosby, Alles, and Malayer each had a steal of a Tri-West pass.
The Cougars season ends with a record of 5-15 and 1-5 in the West Central Conference. This was the final basketball game in a Cougar uniform for seniors Shilah Kumaran, Taylor Alles, and Leah Crosby.
At Speedway
North Putnam 3 14 4 9 -- 30
Tri-West 7 8 13 20 -- 48
North Putnam (5-15, 1-5 WCC)
Kumaran 1-4 0-0 3, Frye 0-0 0-0 0, E. Crosby 0-3 0-0 0, Alles 2-9 1-5 5, Pinney 0-1 0-0 0, Robinson 4-11 2-2 11, Malayer 0-3 0-0 0, L. Crosby 3-5 0-0 6, McGaughey 2-8 0-0 5, Asbell 0-0 0-0 0, McLaughlin 0-0 0-0 0, Judy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-44 FG, 3-7 FT, 30 TP.
Tri-West (14-7, 3-4 SAC)
Jobe 1-3 0-0 2, Jansen 3-8 4-7 10, Edens 0-0 0-0 0, Ricks 3-13 0-0 8, K. Bennett 1-1 0-0 2, M. Bennett 6-15 7-10 22, Walker 1-7 0-0 2, Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Harris 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 16-50 FG, 11-17 FT, 48 TP.
3pt. FG -- NP 3-13 (Kumaran 1-2, Robinson 1-1, Malayer 0-3, McGaughey 1-7), TW 5-17 (Ricks 2-7, M. Bennett 3-6, Walker 0-3, Anderson 0-1). Rebounds - NP 38 (Frye 2, E. Crosby 2, Alles 9, Robinson 8, L. Crosby 15, McGaughey 2), TW 25 (Jobe 4, Jansen 9, Edens 1, Ricks 1, K. Bennett 1, M. Bennett 5, Walker 4). Blocks -- NP 3 (Frye 1, Malayer 1, L. Crosby 1), TW 3 (Jansen 1, K. Bennett 1, Harris 1). Assists -- NP 7 (Alles 3, Malayer 1, L. Crosby 2, McGaughey 1), TW 8 (Jobe 4, Jansen 1, Ricks 1, M. Bennett 1, Walker 1). Steals -- NP 3 (E. Crosby 1, Alles 1, Malayer 1), TW 15 (Jobe 2, Jansen 2, Ricks 1, K. Bennett 2, M. Bennett 5, Walker 2, Anderson 1). Total fouls -- NP 18, TW 13. Fouled out -- E. Crosby. Turnovers -- NP 25, TW 8.
Next game -- The Cougars season ends with a record of 5-15 and 1-5 in the West Central Conference. This was the final basketball game in a Cougar uniform for seniors Shilah Kumaran, Taylor Alles, and Leah Crosby.