Cougar season comes to an end in sectional against Crawfordsville

Thursday, February 9, 2012
Morgan Robinson scored 15 points to lead North Putnam in Wednesday' sectional loss to Crawfordsville.

THORNTOWN -- The North Putnam girls' basketball team traveled to Western Boone High School Wednesday night to face Crawfordsville in sectional action.

The first team they played this season also proved to be the last as two late first quarter three pointers and a 24-13 second quarter proved too much to overcome in a 63-41 loss to the Athenians.

North Putnam was able to hang tight with Crawfordsville in the early going, tying the scores twice at 5-all and 7-all late in the first period.

Olivia Stevens, who had been the Cougars' nemesis in the first game, proved to be so again as she knocked down two three-pointers in the last two minutes to give the Athenians a 13-7 lead going into the second period.

Stevens would score 12 of her game high 26 in the second, balanced out by 11 points from North Putnam's Morgan Robinson.

However, only two other Cougars scored a point in the second as Crawfordsville extended the lead to 17 by halftime.

The Cougars received chances to cut into the gap as the Athenians played sloppy early in the second half, but couldn't get shots to fall.

When they did drop, Crawfordsville was able to answer and the Cougars entered the fourth quarter still down by 17.

North Putnam closed the gap to as close as 12, but did not have the offense available to cut the gap any further as they were eliminated from sectional play.

North Putnam head coach Jim Brothers said the frustrating aspect of the game was not getting shots to fall.

"I think more than anything, the misses on our end deflated us. People are going to hit shots on you, but you've got to answer on your end," Brothers said.

"We failed to do that. It wasn't from a lack of execution, it was just not getting the shot to go down for us, sometimes two or three shots," Brothers added.

"We knocked some shots down and got it down to 12, and we were thinking, 'Here we go.' But then they'd get a good look and it would bounce in and ours would bounce off. It's just the way it goes."

After a 6-15 season, Brothers reflected on the team and praised their efforts for the year.

"I told the players we only had six wins, but I wouldn't trade those six wins for anything. I love this team and every one of them. They're great girls and I'm proud of them," Brothers said.

"I'd love to have more wins, especially for my seniors. Maggie, LeeAnn and Kensy have really given a lot of leadership this year and I respect them and thank them for that."

"It's a close-knit team that's really gotten along and I'm proud of them. We just couldn't make the baskets tonight," Brothers added.

"If that's their MO for their lives, they're going to be alright. They're going to be good people in the community and people we're proud to say they graduated from North Putnam."

At Western Boone

North Putnam 7 13 12 9 -- 41

Crawfordsville 13 24 12 14 -- 63

Individual Scoring

North Putnam -- 16-52 FG, 1-7 3-FG, 8-17 FT

Robinson 15, Davis 8, K. Asbell 7, Pinney 6, Wiatt 3, M. Asbell 2

Crawfordsville -- 24-59, 4-9 3-FG, 11-16 FT

Stevens 26, Haggard 9, Bonebreak 8, Funk 6, Hutson 4, B. Brooks 4, Rhoda 2, Greer 2, Wallace 2