Cougars notch first win of the season in overtime

VEEDERSBURG -- North Putnam boys basketball players made sure Brady Armstrong's first win at the Cougar helm would be a memorable one.

The Cougars outscored Fountain Central 8-2 in overtime, coming away with a 74-68 victory Saturday at Veedersburg. The win snapped the Mustangs' three-game winning streak, dropping Fountain Central to 4-5.

The win ended the Cougars' 24-game losing streak dating back to 2007. The last time North Putnam (1-9) won was Dec. 21, 2007, when it defeated South Putnam 46-40 in the consolation game of the Putnam County Classic.

The Mustangs had a chance to win the game in regulation Saturday, but missed the front end of a one-and-one with 4.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Cougars then scored the first eight points of overtime. Kyle Alcorn provided five of those points, including a 3-pointer with 1:03 remaining that extended North Putnam's lead to 73-66. North Putnam had a chance to gain an even bigger advantage, but went 1-for-7 from the foul line in the final minute.

Fountain Central had as much as a six-point lead (58-52) in the fourth quarter, but North Putnam scored seven of the next 10 points and after Alcorn's four-point play got within 61-59. AJ Stockdale's three-point play pushed Fountain Central back up by five, then North Putnam's Scott Hunt came back with a three-point play of his own to cut the lead down to 64-62. Neither team had more than a two-point lead the remainder of regulation.

North Putnam had four players in double figures. Mitchell Crum led the way with 21 points, while Hunt had 19 to go along with 14 rebounds. Griffen Dahlstrom had 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Alcorn also had 12 points.

Brody Sowers was 6-for-8 from 3-point range to lead Fountain Central with 18 points. Stockdale had 12 points.

North Putnam is back in action Wednesday when it travels to Monrovia for a makeup game. Fountain Central travels to Crawfordsville on Friday.

At Fountain Central

N. Putnam 74, Fountain Central 68, OT

North Putnam 19 13 16 18 8 -- 74

Fountain Central 15 17 18 16 2 -- 68

North Putnam -- Dean 0-1 0-0 0, Hunt 5-9 9-15 19, Dahlstrom 5-5 2-3 12, Alcorn 4-10 2-5 12, Ban 4-5 0-0 8, Crum 8-12 3-4 21, Adams 0-0 0-0 0, Wiltermood 0-1 0-0 0, Enders 0-0 0-0 0. Team Totals -- 26-43 FG, 16-27 FT, 74 TP.

Fountain Central --Stockdale 5-16 2-5 12, Gonzales 3-3 0-0 6, Carver 2-8 2-2 8, Sowers 6-12 0-0 18, Pierce 3-6 0-0 7, McTagertt 4-11 0-1 9, Walters 2-8 2-2 8, L. Clark 0-0 0-0 0, J. Clark 0-0 0-4 0. Team Totals -- 25-64 FG, 6-14 FG, 68 TP.

3-point goals -- North Putnam 4-7 (Crum 2-3, Alcorn 2-3, Dean 0-1), Fountain Central 12-24 (McTagertt 1-4, Walters 2-6, Carver 2-4, Sowers 6-8, Pierce 1-2). Rebounds -- North Putnam 35 (Hunt 14, Dahlstrom 11), Fountain Central 21 (Pierce 7, Stockdale 5). Fouls -- North Putnam 15, Fountain Central 24. Fouled out -- Walters. Turnovers -- North Putnam 21, Fountain Central 8.