North Putnam loses to Rox at home, 60-36

Saturday, December 13, 2014
Senior Michael Roberts tries to find his way out of a trap along the baseline. (Banner Graphic/JOHNATHON GOODE)

ROACHDALE--Growing pains are what the North Putnam Cougars boys' basketball team suffered against the Rockville Rox Friday. The Cougars were outmatched, 60-36.

"I don't think we were really ready to play," NPHS coach Collin McCartt said. "I was really disappointed in that. I thought we were very passive against their zone. We didn't attack because we were timid and that's why we turned the ball over so many times in the first half. That mindset at the start of the game we had is what determined the game through the first nine to 10 minutes."

Rockville (3-1) had five players on its roster that were over six-foot-two-inches tall and the quick 1-3-1 zone The Rox displayed disheartened the Cougars (1-4). They forced 20 turnovers, and the quick end-to-end play by the guards Keiontre Wilkey and Rayden Wilkey was no help.

"I'm sure (the size of Rockville caused discomfort for the Cougars)," McCartt said. "We played a team pretty much as big on Tuesday night. They played a 1-3-1 too. I think Rockville played it better and I'm sure size had a little factor in that, but we were concerned with how hard they hit the boards. They came out on their second possession and got four offensive rebounds and a put back. I just don't think our guys were mentally ready tonight, and we'll improve on that."

The Wilkeys had 24 points between the two and had nearly 10 steals and 5 assists. The younger of the two, Rayden, a junior, also had five rebounds.

"When you have guards like that at this level with their speed and strength it's really a game changer," McCartt said. "They're really hard to defend. We won't see many players like them this year. He's definitely a game changer for them."

North Putnam fought hard on the boards, especially senior Brandon Hall and junior Kyler Jeter, but the size was no match and the Cougars were outrebounded 23-8 in the first half and 35-20 for the game. The Rox also had 14 offensive boards.

"I think it's their mindset (rebounding)," McCartt said. "It's their size too. They put it and that's fine, but they put it up and go get it. They may knock some out of bounds, but more times than not good things are going to happen when they keep doing that."

It was not that North Putnam did not get good looks. The Cougars had contributors come off the bench like sophomore Preston Porter and Corbin Judy who combined for 13 points and senior Michael Roberts, who started, scored all ten of his points in the second half. McCartt said the issue was that Rockville had knocked his team out of rhythm, so any look was tough.

"I think by the time we started getting good looks we were so out of rhythm to hit," McCartt said. "You can say we had open shots here or there, but they had gotten us so out of rhythm. "

Hall only had two rebounds, despite fighting hard, but after a rough offseason, he is starting to fit in nicely. He scored six points on 3 of 6 shooting and he helped get wing players open.

"Brandon is still working his way back in," McCartt said. "He had some real serious injury problems this fall that kept him off the floor. He didn't really have a preseason. He even started late practice wise. He is getting better every game, though. He's finally starting to feel his way out. He hit some nice jump shots and he'll do good things in the post."

The Cougars will face Crawfordsville Saturday on the second night of a back-to-back schedule. The game is at home and the Athenians are struggling just as much as the Cougars are, so it should be a good game for both teams.

"I'm not really concerned about Crawfordsville as much as I am about us," McCartt said. "I'll watch some film, but how much I give the players, I don't know. I'm more wanting to worry about how we play."


At North Putnam

Rockville 13 18 12 17--60

North Putnam 4 4 11 17--36

Scoring:

Rockville K. Wilkey 18, Hopkins 13, Griffin 6, R. Wilkey 6, Paddock 5, Gooch 4, Laney 4, Gordon 2, Thurman 2, Buell 0, Wake 0.

North Putnam: Roberts 10, C. Judy 8, Hall 6, Porter 5, A. Judy 3, Bean 2, Jeter 1, Smith 1.

Rebounding

Rockville: Hopkins 7, Thurman 6, Laney 5, R. Wilkey 5, Paddock 4, Gooch 3, K. Wiley 3, Buell 2, Wake 1.

North Putnam: Jeter 5, Bean 3, Porter 3, Hall 2, C. Judy 2, A. Judy 1, Smith 1.

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