North Putnam season ends with sectional semifinal loss to Lebanon

Saturday, March 2, 2013
Senior Jameson Brewer attempts a three-pointer for North Putnam in Friday's sectional game against Lebanon. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

North Putnam's draw in sectional No. 25 of the IHSAA Class 3A tournament meant that the Cougars would get a bye into the semifinals at Frankfort.

It also meant, though, that Class 3A No. 12 Lebanon would be a likely opponent at that stage and, as it came to pass, the Tigers and Cougars squared off for a second time this season.

As in the first meeting, Lebanon's shooting was withering and it simply left North Putnam with too deep a hole to dig out of early on in a 67-28 loss.

The first meeting between the two squads was North Putnam's opening game on Nov. 24, one which ended with the Tigers taking a 91-37 decision.

"It was a mixed bag of things that were tough for us to overcome, especially against a team as good as Lebanon," NPHS coach Nathan Martindale said. "We knew what Lebanon was going to bring with their defensive intensity."

"We tried to simulate that in practice by playing 5-on-9 or 5-on-10. But we could not imitate their athleticism."

Before the visitors on the scoreboard had gotten into any sort of rhythm Friday night, Lebanon already held a 9-1 lead.

Behind the three-point shooting of Caleb Branson and Tre Hurst, the Tigers quickly extended the lead to 21-5 and finished the quarter ahead 24-7.

North Putnam's best stretch of the game followed in the second quarter as the Cougars matched Lebanon shot-for-shot and, with three minutes left in the quarter, trailed 35-18.

The Tigers closed with eight straight points, including a Hurst three with five seconds left in the half to lead 43-18 at halftime.

While the Cougars stayed cold for most of the third quarter, Lebanon continued to build its already large lead up to 55-23 by the end of the period.

It took nearly six minutes for North Putnam to get a basket after the halftime break and by the fourth quarter both benches began to empty as Lebanon moved on to the sectional final against host Frankfort.

North Putnam, meanwhile, ended the season with an 8-13 record, but showed far more resolve in the second attempt against the Tigers, Martindale said.

"We tried to take away their two main scorers and we did that," he said. "They average over 30 points a game and tonight they scored 23. We did our job in holding them down but it was the rest of the squad which got hot from the perimeter.

"They shot the ball very well. Offensively, we couldn't get into a rhythm and even our good looks weren't going down."

Martindale said that watching the film from the opening game of the season showed how much, not only the squad, but the senior group of Jake Haste, Jameson Brewer, Zach Green and Michael Herrmann had developed.

"We've improved tremendously since the first game of this season," Martindale said. "I watched the film and we've come on monumentally since then.

"Jake Haste hadn't played basketball for five years and became a huge part of what we tried to do. Jameson, Zach and Michael all came in at different times and contributed.

"Outside of Brewer, the guys didn't have a lot of experience at the varsity level," Martindale noted. "What we've gained in a short time frame is impressive.

"This group did two things that hadn't been done since 2002: have a six-game winning streak and sweep the county teams. That's something to be proud of. Doing something that hadn't been done for a decade is a big deal and these seniors were the leading force in that."

With North Putnam having added wins to the season total the past three years, Martindale said that the development of the program was moving along smoothly.

"Numbers don't lie," Martindale said. "Where we were at when I started and where we're at now, I think you can see the improvement that we've made as a ball club on both ends of the floor.

"We've said this is one of the better squads we've had in several years at North Putnam. It can't diminish being in a tough sectional, but there's no doubts that we've made strides in the program.

"We're heading in the right direction and ultimately, as a school, athletic department and basketball program, you want to see that continue.

"If the kids keep buying in and keep working hard, we're going to continue to keep that going."

Cougars junior Jordan Nauert (23) elevates through contact to shoot against Lebanon on Friday. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)



IHSAA Sectional 25
Semifinal at Frankfort
North Putnam....7 11 5 5 -- 28
Lebanon.........24 19 12 12 -- 67

Scoring
North Putnam (8-13): Brewer 13, Hazelgrove 4, Beaman 3, Green 3, Haste 3, Herrmann 2. Totals 11-36 FG, 4-18 3-FG, 2-4 FT.
Lebanon (17-5): Brannon 15, Marshall 11, Hurst 9, Starkey 8, Barricklow 8, Comage 7, Molter 6, Alic 3. 23-45 FG, 11-19 3-FG, 10-12 FT.

Rebounds
North Putnam 20 (6 offense); Lebanon 30 (10 offense)

Assists
North Putnam 4; Lebanon 9

Steals
North Putnam 5; Lebanon 6

Blocks
North Putnam 0; Lebanon 2

Turnovers
North Putnam 18; Lebanon 14

Fouls
North Putnam 13; Lebanon 7

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