North Putnam gets big conference win over Cadets

Saturday, December 18, 2010
North Putnam senior Garrett Porter dribbles past a Cascade defender during Friday's 81-72 win over the Cadets.

ROACHDALE -- Knowing Friday night's game against Cascade was going to be a physical one, North Putnam boys coach Nathan Martindale stressed the importance of free throws throughout the week.

Martindale was right.

The game came down to which team could execute at the free throw line better. On the night the Cougars shot 26-37 for 70-percent while Cascade shot 16-33 for 48-percent.

The free throw margin alone gave the Cougars the advantage. After 32-minutes North Putnam came away with a 81-72 victory.

"Knocking down our free throws tonight was a big plus," said Martindale. "These two teams are known to play each other very physical."

The referees signaled 32 fouls on the night sending each team to the line throughout the third and the fourth quarter. With four minutes left in the third both teams were already in the bonus.

"I thought we played a real good game tonight," said Martindale. "Offensively we moved the ball well."

He said that if there is still one thing the team could work on it is there defense.

"We need to take pride in our defense," he said.

The defense had no answer for Cascade junior Jeffery Hopper who single handedly kept the Cadets in the game scoring 31 points on the night.

Cascade made several runs at the Cougars in the second half cutting the margin to six points with 1:19 left with Hopper at the line. Fortunately for the Cougars though Hopper missed both foul shots.

The Cougars went on to pull away as they knocked down their shots from the line in the last minute.

Leading the way for the Cougars in double figures was senior James Hendrick with 16 points. He was followed closely by Kolten Everts with 14 and Stewart Payne and Garrett Porter with 13.

To get better over the next two months, Martindale said the boys need to continue to come to the gym and work on their shooting.

He said another big factor in the win was handling the pressure of the Cadets. Every time a Cougar would get double teamed he would find a teammate to knock down a shot.

The Cougars shot 55-percent on the night.

With the win North Putnam is 2-3 on the season and will face Riverton Parke tonight on the road.

On Tuesday they will take on North Vermillion before the holiday break.

At North Putnam

North Putnam 17 16 20 28 -- 81

Cascade 14 13 21 24 -- 72

Individual Stats

North Putnam -- Hendrick 16, Everts 14, Stewart 13, Porter 13, Wiltermood 7, Lucas 7, Franklin 7, Muse 4. Totals 25-45 FG, 5-12 3PT, 26-37 FT, 81 TP.

Cascade -- Hopper 31, Arthur 12, Thomas 12, Baldwin 4, Daugherty 4, Dunn 3, Bobadilla 3, Bemis 2. Totals 26-63, 4-12 3PT, 16-33 FT, 72 TP.