South Putnam has frustrating second half in loss to Bruins

Tuesday, January 22, 2013
South Putnam junior Sawyer Arnold plants and swings a crossover dribble around the Bruins on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

LIZTON -- The South Putnam boys' basketball team was eliminated from contention for a West Central Conference championship on Friday, but it came back Saturday playing hard at Tri-West.

The teams were tight at the half but the Eagles' collective frustration seemed to get the best of them at the break as they lost 67-44.

"We haven't come out in the third quarter this year," SPHS coach Troy Burgess said. "(Friday) night against Monrovia. (It was a) one-point game after two, then a 14-point game after three. We've got to figure something out in that third quarter."

The Eagles (5-7, 1-2 WCC) trailed by only seven at the break (28-21), despite a perfect first half from the field by Bruins junior Austin Lynn (6-6, 14 points).

Instead of building, SPHS came out sloppy. The players committed nine fouls and 10 turnovers in the third quarter, then lost their defensive intensity in the fourth.

"We're not coming out with the same intensity in the third quarter that we play the first and second, and then we dig ourselves a hole," Burgess said. "I don't know. I made a joke last night about it. Maybe I don't go in and talk to them. Maybe I pour them some orange juice and let them sit."

Tri-West (6-6) made 13-of-14 free throws in the final period, and six-of-seven two-point shots, en route to a 24-point quarter.

Sophomore Trevor Waite made eight-of-eight from the line in the final quarter to help secure the win.

Waite and Lynn each finished with game-highs of 22 points.

Junior Sawyer Arnold led the Eagles with 15 points. Junior Trey Moore had nine points and eight rebounds, and senior Justin Bumgardner had three and nine.

"(Tri-West) is a good basketball team," Burgess said. "Against good teams like this, you can't dig yourself a hole."

The Eagles will host Cloverdale on Friday at 7:30 p.m. It will be South Putnam High School's homecoming.



At Tri-West
South Putnam 11 10 9 14 -- 44
Tri-West 14 14 15 24 -- 67

Individual scoring
SP: Arnold 5-13 3-3 15, Moore 2-5 6-9 10, R Chestnut 2-4 2-2 6, Vittetow 2-7 0-1 6, Pell 1-4 1-2 4, Bumgardner 1-6 1-4 3, Mitchell 0-3 0-0 0, Long 0-1 0-1 0, Franklin 0-1 0-0 0, D Chestnut 0-1 0-0 0, Snow 0-0 0-0 0.
TW: Lynn 9-11 3-5 22, Waite 6-12 10-11 22, Alexander 3-8 4-4 10, Burks 4-4 0-2 8, Hendershot 1-5 1-4 3, Phelps 1-3 0-0 2, Koelling 0-5 0-0 0, Musial 0-1 0-0 0, Stamm 0-2 0-0 0, Gadberry 0-0 0-0 0, Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Vervynckt 0-0 0-0 0.

Team scoring (three-pointers)
SP 13-45 (5-14) 13-22 44, TW 24-51 (1-15) 19-28 67.

Rebounds (offensive)
SP 41 (20), TW 19(7).

Turnovers
SP 27, TW 10.

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