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Cougars lose Frye, come up short against Panthers
ROACHDALE -- North Putnam's girls were forced to play the final 23 minutes without starting point guard Shelby Frye and it showed against Riverton Parke's full-court press Tuesday in a 40-32 defeat in a non-conference basketball game on the Cougars' court.
North Putnam (3-4) committed 24 turnovers, including several in its backcourt that the Panthers (4-3) pounced upon to score easy baskets in a pivotal third period.
Frye, a 5-foot-5 senior, fell hard on a lay-up attempt and injured her left wrist with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter and didn't return. The Cougars trailed 5-4.
"I thought losing Shelby really hurt us," North Putnam coach Jim Brothers said. "We didn't step up. She's running the show for us. With Shelby out of the game, we made some ill-advised passes. There was a stretch there (in the third period) we were faced with it (press) and we didn't respond very well."
North Putnam's last lead was at 13-12. The Cougars trailed 17-15 at halftime.
Riverton Parke scored the initial six points of the third period for a 23-15 lead. Two of the baskets, four points, came following turnovers against the press.
The Cougars adapted to breaking down the press after that, but never were able to mount a serious run. Riverton Parke, which won its fourth straight, stretched the lead to 34-21 early in the fourth period. North Putnam scored the next five on Maggie Pinney's two free throws and a 3-pointer by Megan Robinson.
The closest North Putnam got was 36-29 on Cayla Kientz' driving lay-up with 1:57 to play. The Panthers made four straight free throws to go up 40-29 before Pinney made the game's final basket, a 3-pointer.
Megan Robinson led North Putnam with 11 points and Mackensy Asbell scored eight. Riverton Parke's Sara Dickey, a 5-foot-9 sophomore, scored a game-high 14 and had 10 rebounds.
"I thought we played pretty hard the entire game," Brothers said. "Our inability to execute on the offensive end really hurt us."
Riverton Parke shot only 26 percent (12-of-46) from the field, but it was 14-of-21 at the free throw line. The Panthers had 15 turnovers.
North Putnam was 12-of-21 (38.7 percent) on field goals, but shot only 10 free throws, making six.
Riverton Parke out-rebounded the Cougars, 30-28.
"Riverton Parke got some easy putbacks," Brothers said. "We didn't block out."
North Putnam's next game is at home Thursday against Rockville.
At North Putnam
Riverton Parke 5 12 12 11 -- 40
North Putnam 4 11 6 11 -- 32
RIVERTON PARKE
Yando 0-4 0-0 0, Burnham 3-8 0-1 8, S. Dickey 5-14 4-6 14, Falls 1-5 3-6 5, Pollard 1-4 5-6 7, Wood 0-4 0-0 0, E. Dickey 2-7 2-2 6, Totals 12-46 14-21 40.
NORTH PUTNAM
Meg. Robinson 4-10 2-3 11, Asbell 3-9 2-5 8, Kientz 1-1 0-0 2, Pinney 1-4 2-2 5, Frye 0-2 0-0 0, Mor. Robinson 1-1 0-1 2, Lucas 1-3 0-0 2, Aynes 0-0 0-0 0, Wiatt 1-1 0-0 2, Totals 12-31 6-10 32.
3-point field goals: RP 2-8 (Burnham 2-3, Yando 0-3, Wood 0-1, E. Dickey 0-1), NP 2-7 (Pinney 1-1, Meg. Robinson 1-5, Frye 0-1). Rebounds: RP 30 (S. Dickey 10, Burnham 4), NP 28 (Kientz 5, Asbell 4, Lucas 4). Turnovers: RP 15, NP 24. Total fouls: RP 16, NP 17. Fouled out: None.