SP season ends in sectional final, Eagles beaten by Sparkplugs 62-42

South Putnam senior Justin Bumgardner attempts a three-point basket in the second quarter against Speedway on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

Nearly a year to the day that South Putnam and Speedway met in the 2012 IHSAA Sectional No. 44 championship game, the two squads met again, this time contesting the 2013 sectional title.

Though the casts were slightly different and the action didn't follow the same script from last year, the act still came to the same conclusion with the Sparkplugs claiming the title with a 62-42 win.

"I'm very proud of our kids," Burgess said. "We played hard. Speedway's a good basketball team with great athletes and the played well tonight. They did the things they had to do."

When the teams met last year, Speedway started the game with a three-point shooting blitz that shook the hosts from the onset.

That was not the case Saturday night as South Putnam matched the Sparkplugs early on in the scoring department.

The visitors were out to a 7-2 lead in the opening exchanges of the game and lead 9-4 before a three from senior Logan Pell and baskets from junior Trey Moore and senior Ryan Chestnut gave the Eagles an 11-9 lead.

"We went back to the zone tonight," Burgess said. "We didn't feel like, for 32 minutes, we could play them man-to-man. They've got too many athletes who are quick off the dribble.

"We played more of the match-up zone and we were more aware of where the shooters were. ... Our kids did a good job of listening and executing on both ends of the floor."

Speedway snared the lead back with a quick 7-0 run and carried it into the second quarter after a pair of baskets for the hosts closed the quarter at 16-15.

South Putnam held the lead twice more on baskets from Pell and Moore but would not be on top again after a Cameron Kinnick three put the visitors ahead 21-19.

The Sparkplugs used the basket to start a 9-0 run late in the quarter and as both teams canceled one another out in the final two minutes, Speedway took a 35-27 lead into halftime.

After the break, South Putnam's scoring touch deserted it as the Eagles would only muster six points in the third quarter.

"Speedway stepped up their defensive pressure but we also missed some shots we normally make," Burgess said. "We play an inside-out game. In the first half, we got the ball inside and got some layups. In the second half, they did a better job of collapsing on that.

"That gave us looks on the perimeter but we didn't knock them down tonight."

Though the intensity was beginning to build, the game itself took an odd turn with about four minutes to go as Speedway stopped moving the ball entirely.

After a minute ran off the clock, the hosts finally began to put pressure on the Sparkplugs but, before the visitors would relinquish control of the ball, two full and crucial minutes of the game had elapsed.

Unable to get the ball away from Speedway and, with the deficit beginning to grow, South Putnam began the final quarter by pressuring the visitors further up the court.

Though the Eagles had a chance to cut the deficit to single-digits at different intervals, shots simply would not go down for the hosts.

Frustration, having been building over the last few minutes of the third period and into the fourth, finally spilled over on a pair of possessions.

Sawyer Arnold was blocked from behind on a layup chance that drew the ire of the South Putnam junior and, shortly after, Moore had a shot blocked near the backboard on a layup attempt.

The gymnasium at South Putnam exploded in noise with half the fans clamoring for goaltending while the other half cheered on the impressive defensive play.

By the time the ball returned to the other end, a foul was committed and a technical foul was assessed to the Eagle bench as frustrations boiled over.

"I told the kids tonight before and after the game that sometimes I say things I shouldn't and sometimes that gets you in trouble," Burgess said. "I also said that I wouldn't trade our guys for anybody. I mean that. I'm very proud of them. I'm proud of their effort.

"I thought they represented South Putnam and Putnam County very well tonight. We just got beat tonight by a better basketball team."

Speedway's lead continued to increase and hit 20 points twice, including at the final buzzer as the game and season ended for South Putnam.

The game drifted away from the Eagles in the second half but Burgess said that the squad had their chances.

"There was a stretch late in the third and early in the fourth where, if we hit a couple of shots, we're right back in the game," Burgess mentioned. "Give Speedway credit for picking up the intensity and making baskets."

Burgess commended the effort of the squad this season and of the play and work of the senior class.

"I've had the opportunity to coach them in basketball and football and we're all going to miss them," Burgess said. "Cody Snow hadn't played basketball but he came to work every day and gave us everything he had and never complained. Kinser Franklin came off the bench and gave us some great minutes. He was good in practice and was a great leader for us.

"Justin Bumgardner is a 70-30 guy," Burgess noted. "He's going to make things happen all the time. 70 percent of it is good and the other 30 percent might be bad, but he makes something happen. He played hard and he played with a lot of emotion. He did a lot of positive things for us.

"Ryan Chestnut was labeled as a football player playing basketball," he continued. "Last year he was. This year, by golly, he was a basketball player. He learned to move his feet defensively. I told him afterwards that we've played 22 games this year and I bet that no one wants to play him again. He made himself into a basketball player and was able to use his strength and size to and advantage this year."

Burgess reserved special words for Logan Pell, who, after a being injured in a car wreck last spring, may not have even been able to play at all this season.

"First of all, I'm tickled to death that Logan Pell was with us, with what that young man went through to battle back and get himself ready to play," Burgess said. "We named Logan a captain after the first game. We usually vote but I named him a captain. No one came to ask why. It was a foregone conclusion. Logan represented what our team stood for."

With two starters and two more rotation players returning next year, Burgess said that the squad should be able to continue pushing forward.

"We'll return our two leading-scorers coming back next year in Sawyer and Trey," Burgess said. "We got great minutes out of (Klayton) Vittetow of the bench and a lot of minutes out of Trevor (Long).

"Four of our top eight players are coming back, along with a JV squad that also had a winning record. I think the future is bright for us.

"We've got good young talent," Burgess added. "We've got guys that want to work. The last two years, playing in the sectional championship, does nothing but help us.

"I'm looking forward to a good offseason and getting back after it next year."

At South Putnam
IHSAA Sectional No. 44
Championship game
Speedway 16 19 13 14 -- 62
South Putnam 15 12 6 9 -- 42