Cougar boys get crushed by Mustangs

Sunday, January 18, 2015
Kyler Jeter powers in the first two points of the game for North Putnam. (Banner Graphic/JOHNATHON GOODE)

VEEDERSBURG-- The North Putnam Cougars boys' basketball team competed in the second night of a back-to-back, with both games being away, at a much bigger and physical Fountain Central. The Mustangs pummeled the Cougars, 78-46.

Fountain Central (11-5 0-2 WRC) went out on a 7-0 run to start the game and the three by Mustang's six-foot-eight-inch junior Ladd Warner forced Cougars' (3-8 0-1 WCC) coach Collin McCartt to call a timeout.

"Obviously, they're (Fountain Central) a very good team," McCartt said. "They're one of the better teams we've seen this year if not the best so far. North Montgomery played well, but I'm not so sure this team isn't better. Cloverdale will probably be the best team we play all year. Every one of those starters contributed and they got help off the bench."

The Mustangs not only had height from Warner, but they had six-foot-six inch, six-foot-four inch and six-foot-three inch members on their team.

McCartt's timeout spurred his team quickly. Both juniors Kyler Jeter and Austin Judy completed easy layups on the next two possessions.

"Jeter was doing as much as he could do," McCartt said. "When you're going against a six-six kid it's hard. I thought he did a good job doing what he could do."

Fountain Central then started putting the heat on even more after the two layups.

With just over three minutes left in the period, Koby Pierce completed one of his four first half assists to Ethan Woodrow for two points and on the next possession Woodrow repaid the favor to Pierce by kicking it out where Pierce drained a long three.

Pierce started the second quarter on the bench but Woodrow and Tyler Starkey picked up the slack. On the four possessions Pierce was out Woodrow had five points and Starkey had two rebounds and an assist.

"They're very, very good (as a team)," McCartt said. "They've got three guys averaging double figures. Every one of those members are capable of putting up every night. They're very tough."

North Putnam had trouble against the vigorous full court pressure. It turned the ball over under Fountain Central's basket two times in a row. Clayton Corey got an easy bucket for the Mustangs out of it and Dallas Otero went to the free throw line where he missed the front end of a one-and-one.

In all the Mustangs had 11 of their 20 total assists in the first half. The Cougars had 14 turnovers as they went down 40-17 at halftime.

Pierce continued his dominance, opening the second half up with a steal and a transition layup and then a layup off a long rebound on the first two possessions.

Like the first half, the Mustangs went out big. They went on a 9-0 run in less than three minutes, forcing three turnovers.

With 5:03 left Pierce took advantage of the transition and laid the ball in as he was fouled. He made the free throw. After a Corey steal the very next possession ended with the same result, him laying the ball in and being fouled. He made the free throw.

"I think some of (not being able to stop transiton) was long rebounds," McCartt said. "Honestly they have athletes. They got out and had better athletes than us. They know the system very well. Coach (Jason) Good has been here for a few years and these guys have played together since they were freshman."

Preston Porter, finally, made a big shot for the Cougars with 3:38 left in the third. He took a pass from Judy and drilled a long three at the left elbow.

Just as the Cougars got a momentum surge from Porter it quickly diminished. Corey assisted Andrew Golia on a basket and on the next possession Golia repaid the favor for Corey, who made another three.

After only scoring four points in the whole first half, Corey scored 11 points in the third quarter and had 2 assists, helping his team to a comfortable 64-26 lead.

Sophomore Corbin Judy started the only quarter the Cougars won by getting an and-one of his own.

The starters were taken out fairly early in the fourth quarter and the Cougars took advantage of it. Seniors Brandon Hall and Michael Roberts combined for 10 points in the quarter and controlled the pace. Porter also hit another three-pointer.

"Michael was the only guy that played 32 with a hard effort," McCartt said. "That is just his mentality. He's had the stomach flu this weekend and he was still able to come out and perform tonight. I enjoyed the way he was competing."

North Putnam won the quarter by six points.

Corey, Pierce and Woodrow all scored 18 points in the game. Combined, they were a total of 20-for-24 from the floor.

The Cougars, like the game Friday against Monrovia, could not hit shots in the first three quarters, but were lights out in the fourth quarter. They also cut the turnover totals down in the second half when the game was too far out of reach. They only had five in the second half.

"They started putting in some of their bench guys," McCartt said. "When they didn't have their starters they didn't have their length. When you get rid off six-eight, six-six and six-three it gets a little bit easier."

North Putnam's next game will be Friday against county and conference rival Cloverdale. It will be at Cloverdale for Cloverdale's homecoming.


At Fountain Central

North Putnam 8 9 9 20--46

Fountain Central 19 21 24 14--78

Scoring

North Putnam (19-51 4-9 46): Roberts 5-12 1-2 11, Hall 3-8 1-2 7, Jeter 3-5 1-2 7, A. Judy 3-7 0-2 6, Porter 2-5 0-0 6, C. Judy 1-4 1-1 3, Bean 1-5 0-0 2, Huffman 1-3 0-0 2, Smith 1-2 0-0 2.

Fountain Central (30-48 11-20 78): Corey 6-8 4-4 18, Pierce 7-8 1-3 18, Woodrow 7-8 4-6 18, Warner 4-9 2-2 14, Golia 3-8 0-0 7, Starkey 1-1 0-0 2, Otero 0-2 1-2 1, Cleave 0-2 0-0 0, Ellis 0-1 0-0 0, Heckler 0-1 0-0 0, Myers 0-0 0-4 0, Walls 0-1 0-0 0.

Rebounding

North Putnam (7 OFF 21 TOT): Bean 7, Jeter 3, A. Judy 3, Huffman 2, Roberts 2, Smith 2, Hall 1, C. Judy 1.

Fountain Central (9 OFF 27 TOT): Woodrow 7, Golia 4, Starkey 4, Corey 3, Cleave 2, Myers 2, Pierce, Warner 2, Otero 1.

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