North Putnam edges South Putnam in sectional

Thursday, March 6, 2014
North Putnam Junior Michael Roberts draws South Putnam defenders (from left) Jimmy Rutter, Grady McHugh and Trey Moore in the first half Wednesday. Roberts scored a team-high 24 points to lead the Cougars to a 60-57 win at sectional. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

The North Putnam Cougars and the South Putnam Eagles drew each other in the sectional 44 bracket and the game did not disappoint as the Cougars hung on for the three-point 60-57 victory to advance to the second round on Friday to face Speedway.

"Anytime you win a sectional game and move on, it's huge," North Putnam head coach Lukas Haworth said. "It does not matter if it is the first time in 13 years or you win every year it is huge. Getting the chance to play another night when half the teams are done is huge."

The Cougars pressed the Eagles to start the game and opened up a quick 16-6 lead after the first quarter.

The Eagles then started to find ways to break the press and outscored North Putnam 32-23 in the middle quarters to only trail by one at the end of three, 39-38.

"We got the ball to the middle, handled it well and then got to the basket," South Putnam head coach Troy Burgess said.

In the fourth quarter a star for each team appeared in North Putnam junior Michael Roberts and South Putnam senior Trey Moore.

Roberts had 24 points to go along with four rebounds and six steals. Moore had a game-high 30 points and a game high seven rebounds.

"Michael played unbelievable. It is a team sport and a team game but every now and then you can look at a player a say 'man if he did not do that tonight we do not win' and that was definitely Michael tonight," Haworth said. "It was an unbelievably good all around game by Michael."

Roberts was sure to credit the team's effort to make play's in the playoff victory.

"It was a big game and we needed a win. Everyone put me in a good position and I just tried to pull it out for them," Roberts said.

On the other side Moore's final game as a South Putnam eagle was a memorable one even in defeat.

"He (Moore) carried us this year. He did what he has done all year long. He makes the guys around here better and they have really responded to him well," Burgess said.

The Eagles outrebounded the Cougars by a wide margin, 22-12, five of which were offensive.

"I thought we rebounded well. We wanted to rebound, take care of the ball and defend. I thought did those things well tonight," Burgess said.

The Eagles pounded the ball inside and almost every made bucket was in the paint.

"We felt like we were better inside than they were. We wanted to get the ball in to our post players and when we did I felt like we were almost able to score at will," Burgess said.

North Putnam will face Speedway at 7:30 Friday night at South Putnam.

"You cannot turn the ball over against Speedway because they turn it into points immediately," Haworth said. We have to take care of the ball and get the shot we want every time. We will also have to get back on defense."



ISHAA Sectional 44
At South Putnam
South Putnam
6 16 16 19 - 57
North Putnam 16 9 14 21 - 60
South Putnam (57): Moore 13-16 3-5 30, Long 4-6 2-5 10, Schroer 2-7 1-1 6, Chestnut 2-3 0-0 5, Carmichael 2-3 0-0 4, McHugh 1-5 0-0 2. Total: 22-40 (2-8) 6-11, 57.
North Putnam (60): Roberts 6-8 12-15 24, Nauert 5-9 4-4 15, Hazelgrove 6-10 1-1 14, Beaman 1-6 1-4 3, Hall 1-4 0-0 2, Riggen 1-3 0-1 2. Total: 20-40 (2-11) 18-25, 60.
Rebounding
SP (23-5): Moore 7-0, Carmichael 5-2, Chestnut 5-1, Long 2-1, McHugh 1-1, Rutter 1-0, Schroer 1-0.
NP (12-3): Hazelgrove 6-3, Roberts 4-0, Hall 2-0.
Turnovers: SP 19, NP 13. Fouls: SP 21, NP 13.

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