Cougars can't survive third quarter breakdown

INDIANAPOLIS -- The North Putnam Cougars boys' basketball team traveled to Indianapolis Saturday night, hoping to earn their first victory of the season against the Covenant Christian Warriors. The Cougars were coming off of a disappointing loss the previous night at Turkey Run, having played their best game of the season.

North Putnam battled Covenant Christian with great effort, but a 28-point third quarter by the Warriors, ended North Putnam's hopes for the victory, 67-44.

The Cougars narrowly trailed the Warriors at the end of the first quarter, 11-16, and at halftime, 22-28.

North Putnam had balanced scoring in the first half with Scott Hunt, Kyle Alcorn, Kyle Adams, Mitchell Crum, Griffen Dahlstrom, Cory Dean, and Brock Jones all getting into the score book for the Cougars.

However, the Cougar shooting from the field turned cold in the third quarter, while Covenant Christian's shooters got hot in the stanza, and the Warriors blew open the game, leading 56-29 at the end of the period.

The Cougars outscored Covenant Christian in the final quarter, 15-11, as Jerrett Ban and PJ Enders joined their team mates in the scoring column, but the damage done by the Warriors in the third quarter was too much to overcome.

"We played very well in the first half, and defensively, we got them out of their rhythm" commented North Putnam coach Brady Armstrong after the game.

"You have to give them credit, they hit tons of shots in the third quarter, while we couldn't get anything to drop."

"We did a nice job defensively, but they are a really good team, with some great shooters. We couldn't contain them for the entire game," added Armstrong.

North Putnam was led in scoring by Dahlstrom with 10 points.

Dean followed with eight, Alcorn added six, Jones had five, Adams scored four, Crum had three, and Hunt and Enders closed out the Cougar scoring with two points each.

Hunt led the Cougars in rebounds with eight boards, Ban and Dahlstrom each had a blocked shot, Crum, Alcorn, and Hunt passed for two assists each, and Crum, Ban, and Dean each had two steals.

In the junior varsity game, North Putnam lost to Covenant Christian, 42-52.

Jacob Lucas led the Cougar's in scoring with 11 points, followed by Travis Franklin with nine.

Kolten Everts scored six, Tim Wiltermood and Drew Hutcheson added three each, and Cody Summerlot, Garett Porter, Kenny Benge, Hank Spencer, and Brandon Volland closed out the Cougar scoring with two points each.

The Cougars (0-9, 0-0 WCC) travel to Monrovia Friday night, opening the West Central Conference season, in the second game of the girls-boys doubleheader. The girls' game begins at 6:00.

At Covenant Christian

North Putnam 11 11 7 15 -- 44

Covenant Christian 16 12 28 11 -- 67

North Putnam (0-9, 0-0 WCC)

Crum 1--10 0--0 3, Alcorn 1--2 4--4 6, Ban 2--3 0--2 4, Hunt 0--5 2--2 2, Dean 3--8 0--0 8, Adams 2--5 0--1 4, Dahlstrom 5--9 0--2 10, Jones 1--8 2--2 5, Enders 0--2 2--4 2, Hedrick 0--1 0--0 0, Franklin 0--0 0--0 0, Spencer 0--0 0--0 0. Totals 15--53 FG, 10--17 FT, 44 TP.

Covenant Christian (5--4)

McClintic 4--11 6--8 16, Williams 1--3 1--2 4, Creasey 0--1 0--0 0, Woodruff 10--14 2--3 24, Byer 2--5 2--4 6, Beasley 1--1 0--0 3, Ray 2--4 0--0 5, Mollaun 3--10 2--4 9, Sturm 0--1 0--0 0. Totals 23--50 FG, 13--21 FT, 67 TP.

3--pt. FG -- NP 4--21 (Crum 1--6, Ban 0--1, Hunt 0--1, Dean 2--7, Jones 1--4, Enders 0--1, Hedrick 0--1), CC 8--21 (McClintic 2--5, Williams 1--2, Woodruff 2--3, Beasley 1--1, Ray 1--2, Mollaun 1--8). Rebounds -- NP 26 (Crum 3, Alcorn 1, Ban 1, Hunt 8, Dean 1, Adams 6, Dahlstrom 3, Jones 1, Hedrick 1, Spencer 1), CC 35 (McClintic 8, Creasey 1, Woodruff 15, Byer 5, Ray 1, Mollaun 2, Sturm 3). Blocks -- NP 2 (Ban 1, Dahlstrom 1), CC 1 (Woodruff 1). Assists -- NP 8 (Crum 2, Alcorn 2, Hunt 2, Adams 1, Jones 1), CC 12 (McClintic 3, Williams 1, Woodruff 1, Byer 1, Beasley 1, Mollaun 5). Steals -- NP 10 (Crum 2, Alcorn 1, Ban 2, Hunt 1, Dean 2, Adams 1, Dahlstrom 1), CC 12 (McClintic 1, Williams 4, Woodruff 1, Byer 4, Mollaun 2). Total fouls -- NP 17, CC 19. Fouled out -- Williams. Turnovers -- NP 18, CC 17.

Next game -- The Cougars (0-9, 0-0 WCC) travel to Monrovia Friday night, opening the West Central Conference season, in the second game of the girls--boys doubleheader. The girls' game begins at 6:00.