Cougars can't stifle Chargers' Grant Gaylor's 27 points, 63-37

Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Corbin Judy works his way around a defender in the third quarter. Judy had a nice put back after a Preston Porter miss. (Banner Graphic/JOHNATHON GOODE)

CRAWFORDSVILLE-- Tuesday night's tone was set by two consecutive dunks on the first two possessions by North Montgomery Chargers' forward Grant Gaylor. The 6-6 senior had 27 points in a win over the North Putnam Cougars, 63-37.

"Gaylor is a really good player," Cougars' coach Collin McCartt said. "They played really good coming out as a team."

North Montgomery (5-5 2-0 SAG) held the Cougars scoreless in the first quarter with Gaylor scoring 14 of his 16 first half points in the quarter. They also had five assists on eight field goals.

"We came out and gave up a couple of back doors," McCartt said. "We've worked on that and worked on that and I think we just got a little bit frustrated. We gave up dunks on the first two plays and our kids put their heads down."

The Cougars (2-7 0-1 WCC) only got off two first-quarter shots and had 10 turnovers.

They had seven turnovers before their first shot.

"We came out and they made some plays," McCartt said. "That kind of made our guys timid. When we get timid we throw the ball away. I think we started attacking a little bit better and we got our feet under us. We usually don't throw the ball away like that."

Senior Michael Roberts, who scored a team high for the Cougars with 13 went aggressively to the rim with his left hand and scored the first Cougar points with 5:27 left in the second quarter.

Roberts had eight of his team's 14 points in the second quarter and ended it in style with a steal from junior Jordan Banta at mid court. He took the ball and laid it in the goal uncontested with 35.7 seconds left in the half.

The Cougars had cut the lead to 18, 32-14 at half.

Gaylor started the second half much the same as the first. He scored 11 points and 5-of-6 free throws identical to the first half.

North Putnam also had a tough time stopping sophomore Caleb Randolph. He scored 14 points and was 5-of-7 from the line.

The Chargers made quick decisions with the ball that led to 13 assists for the game. They also had only 11 turnovers doing so and had only one turnover in the first quarter.

"They just run their stuff really well," McCartt said. "This is their coach's fifth year and he's learned from some really good coaches. He's got a system planted."

The Cougars took advantage of North Montgomery sitting their starters in the fourth. Their contributions tallied in size as five different shooters scored in the quarter.

Free throws were a big part of the game. The Cougars were 4 for 11 and the Chargers were 22 for 36.

McCartt talked heavily about Gaylor after the game. He said if he was taken out things might have been different, but that overall he was just a great player.

"You take Gaylor out they're not much more athletic than us," Gaylor said. "He is a big part of their game and he really hurt us."

North Putnam's next game will be Friday at Turkey Run with a tip set for 7:30 pm.

At North Montgomery

North Putnam 0 14 8 15--37

North Montgomery 22 10 19 12--63


Scoring

North Putnam (15-41 4-11, 37): Roberts 13, Smith 5, Bean 4, Hall 4, Jeter 4, C. Judy 4, Porter 3, A. Judy 0.

North Montgomery (20-41 22-36, 63): Gaylor 27, C. Randolph 14, Adams 5, Banta 5, Dugard 5, Zachary 4, O. Randolph 2, Parsons 0.


Rebounding

North Putnam: Roberts 7, Bean 5, C. Judy 5, Hall3, Jeter 3, Smith 2, A. Judy 1, Porter 1.

North Montgomery: Gaylor 6, Parsons 6, Adams 5, Banta 3, C. Randolph 3, O. Randolph 3, Clary 2, Lewis 2, Dugard 1, Smith 1.

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