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Cougars nipped 28-27 by Southmont
BAINBRIDGE — North Putnam girls’ basketball coach Jarrod Duff has gotten his team to the point in his second year where the Cougars are competing for victories at the end of the game.
Now, Duff wants his Cougars to take the next step in the progression — turning Ls into Ws.
The latest “one that got away” came on Monday night against Southmont, a contest in which the Cougars shut out the Mounties in the first quarter and led in the final minute — only to see the visitors escape with a 28-27 win.
“We defended well enough to win the game,” Duff said. “When you hold a team to 28 points, that’s normally going to be good enough to win. We hold them scoreless in the first quarter and to 10 in the second quarter.”
Duff’s team could not get on track offensively, only reaching double-digit points in one period.
“We were stagnant, and we tried to move the ball but we just couldn’t get anything going,” he said. “We tried everything we have done offensively this year, and we just couldn’t get it done.
“I am proud of our effort,” Duff continued. “We showed a lot of fight, but we have to quit knocking on the door — we have to start knocking it down.”
The Cougars led Edgewood in the final three minutes on Friday, but saw that game slip away also.
“We played really well the other night, and we didn’t close the deal,” he said. “Hopefully the girls can learn from it, and that it’s little things like blocking out, 50-50 balls, making hustle plays and diving on the floor instead of watching them dive on the floor.
“It just hurts that we have defended as well as we have the past two games and didn’t come away with a win.”
The game was tied 10-10 at halftime, and the Cougars took a 20-17 lead after three quarters.
Payton Lyons made a steal with 1:11 left and the Cougars trailing 26-25, and Hannah Sims was fouled with 53.2 seconds left. She hit both free throws, but Southmont’s Hailey France hit a layup with 33 seconds left — her only basket of the game — for the game-winner.
Sims led North Putnam with nine points, while Lyons and Baylee Osburn added six each.
The Cougars (6-13) close out the regular season by playing at Turkey Run tonight and hosting Eminence on Thursday.
Southmont improved to 9-11 with the victory.
SOUTHMONT (28) — Hess 3-8 0-0 7, France 1-2 1-2 3, Link 1-3 0-0 2, L.Ward 3-6 0-0 6, Remley 1-1 2-2 4, E.Ward 1-3 0-1 2, Knowling 1-5 0-4 3, Manion 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 11-27 FG, 4-10 FT, 28 TP
NORTH PUTNAM (27) — Sims 1-5 7-9 9, Osburn 3-13 0-2 6, Lyons 2-9 2-4 6, Tennis 1-4 0-0 3, Runnells 0-1 0-0 0, Young 0-3 0-0 0, Gibson 1-6 0-0 3, Simmerman. Totals 8-42 FG, 89-15 FT, 27 TP
Southmont 0 10 7 11 — 28
North Putnam 7 3 10 7 — 27
3-point shooting — Southmont 2-8 (Hess 1-3, Knowling 1-4, E.Ward 0-1), North Putnam 2-11 (Osburn 0-1, Lyons 0-4, Tennis 1-2, Runnells 0-1, Gibson 1-3). Turnovers — North Putnam 15, Southmont 22.