Eagle boys fall to Rockville
It would be harsh to suggest that South Putnam's boys' basketball team was already out of its game against Rockville by the time the first quarter ended.
A 20-2 deficit was always going to be difficult to overcome and while the Eagles outscored the Rox by six over the final three periods, it would not be enough to prevent the visitors from claiming a 56-44 win.
Rockville wasted little time in garnering an advantage by scoring the first 10 points of the game before Chad Menke scored the only two first quarter points for the hosts.
The Rox finished the quarter on a second 10-0 run, capped off by a Jeffery Gooch three at the horn that gave the visitors an 18-point cushion.
South Putnam head coach Greg Dean said that slow starts are plaguing the Eagles.
"We dug ourselves a hole," Dean noted. "A lot of the things we talked about in our pregame talk we didn't do very well.
"We turned it over, gave up too many offensive rebounds and didn't get off to a good start in the first quarter. We've got to find a way to come out with better energy in the first quarter because it something that is affecting us every night."
Instead of being rattled by the slow start, South Putnam began to match Rockville blow-by-blow and played an even second quarter to limit any further damage in the first half.
Jacob Schroer scored 10 of South Putnam's 12 points in the third quarter to keep the Eagles from being subjected to a start reminiscent of the first quarter and eventually received help in the fourth quarter as the hosts outscored Rockville 16-9.
While it wasn't enough to win the game, Dean said the team had a much better handle on the game after the first quarter.
"I thought in the second half, we controlled the tempo with our offense," Dean said. "We got a lot more reversals, had a lot better possession and it showed in our offensive production."
South Putnam does not play again until Jan. 9 at Eminence, though Dean said the break was a welcome sight midway through the season.
"We need to get healthy," Dean pointed out. "We've got a lot of sickness and a lot of minor injuries so we want to get healthy and use the opportunity to get better and the word we use in the locker room is that we want to refine the things that we're doing. Eminence likes to play fast, a 110 percent team offensively and defensively. They've got athletes and kids who can play, so we've got to be ready for that by making the tempo what we want it to be, not what Eminence wants it to be."
At South Putnam
Southmont 18 9 14 22 -- 63
South Putnam 4 15 15 6 -- 40
Scoring
Southmont -- 25-61 FG, 6-20 3-FG, 7-13 FT -- Chadd 18, Swick 17, Todd 13, Jent 6, Dehne 5, Whalen 4, Budd 0, Gregg 0, Hudson 0, Truncone 0
South Putnam: 15-47 FG, 2-5 3-FG, 8-12 FT -- Schroer 19, Menke 8, Carmichael 6, Long 4, Parks 2, Lesko 1, Grundlock 0, Burton 0, Clearwaters 0, Freeman 0
Rebounding (Offensive)
Southmont 30 (13); South Putnam 24 (7)
Assists
Southmont 7; South Putnam 5
Steals
Southmont 7; South Putnam 4
Blocks
Southmont 1; South Putnam 4
Turnovers
Southmont 12; South Putnam 22
Fouls
Southmont 19; South Putnam 16
Next Game: South Putnam (1-6, 0-1 WCC) hosts Rockville Friday
Statistics
Scoring
Rockville -- 22-61 FG, 4-12 3-FG, 8-14 FT -- K. Wilkey 18, Paddock 13, Thurman 9, Hopkins 6, R. Wilkey 6. Gooch 4, Griffin 0, Rapp 0
South Putnam -- 13-33 FG, 5-7 3-FG, 13-19 FT -- Schroer 20, Menke 6, Stewart 6, Long 5, Carmichael 4, Freeman 3, McHugh 0, Grundlock 0
Rebounds (Offensive)
Rockville 26 (17); South Putnam 20 (6)
Assists
Rockville 7; South Putnam 5
Steals
Rockville 14; South Putnam 3
Blocks
Rockville 0; South Putnam 1
Turnovers
Rockville 8; South Putnam 20
Fouls
Rockville 18; South Putnam 12
Next Game: South Putnam (1-7, 0-1 WCC) travels to Eminence January 9.