Cougars clinch at least second place in WIC with win over Vikings

BAINBRIDGE — North Putnam improved to 16-3 on Friday night with a 49-42 win over visiting West Vigo.

The Cougars finished Western Indiana Conference play at 9-1, guaranteed at least second place and needing a win by Cloverdale and/or Indian Creek over undefeated Sullivan to finish in first.

West Vigo fell to 13-9 and finished 5-5 in WIC play.

North Putnam led 15-14 after a closely contested first period, with both Aaron Pickel and Ellis Lyons scoring five points.

West Vigo’s balanced attack was led by Zeke Tanoos with five points.

North Putnam utilized some full-court and half-court trapping to force the Vikings into numerous turnovers starting in the second quarter, and the Vikings committed five miscues in each of the first three periods.

“I thought our guys came out of the gate strong with great defensive pressure,” Cougar coach Vince Brooks said.

The Cougars dominated the second period by a 17-5 margin for a 32-19 halftime lead, getting eight more points from Lyons in the period.

North Putnam, which had a 13-game winning streak broken on Tuesday in a 64-63 loss to Danville, kept the pressure on in a low-scoring third period.

The Vikings managed to win the third period by a slim 8-6 margin, but still trailed 38-27 at the final stop.

West Vigo also won the fourth period by a four-point margin, and got within six points in the final two minutes but could never assume the lead.

A pair of free throws and a basket by Pickel put the Cougars up 44-29 with 4:04 left, but the Vikings mounted a comeback led by senior Ian Beaver.

The small but physical and aggressive Beaver hit a free throw, a basket and two more charity tosses to help keep the Vikings close. A Pickel basket with one minute left gave the Cougars a 48-34 lead, but the Vikings got a basket from Ethan Kesler and treys from Whyatt Easton and Tanoos in the final minute to cut their deficit to 48-42.

North Putnam missed three straight one-and-one attempts during that stretch, but was able to hold off the Vikings for the win.

Beaver led the Vikings with 11 points, while Tanoos had 10 and Easton had nine.

Pickel paced the Cougars with 17 points, with Lyons adding 15 and Zach Huff chipping in with eight.

West Vigo hosts North Central tonight at 6:30 p.m., while North Putnam travels to Riverton Parke.

WEST VIGO (42) — Tanoos 4-12 0-0 10, Easton 4-9 0-0 9, Beaver 3-7 5-6 11, Kesler 2-7 0-0 4, Martin 2-4 0-0 6, Boehler 0-3 0-0 0, Glotzbach 0-0 0-0 0, Fosdick 0-0 2-2 2, Turner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-41 FG, 7-8 FT, 42 TP

NORTH PUTNAM (49) — Pickel 5-12 5-8 17, Lyons 6-8 1-1 15, Huff 3-7 2-3 8, McHargue 2-3 0-04, Hackleman 1-3 0-1 2, Monnett 1-3 0-1 3, Hensley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-36 FG, 8-14 FT, 49 TP

3-point shooting — WV 5-20 (Tanoos 2-8, Easton 1-2, Kesler 0-5, Martin 2-2, Boehler 0-3), NP 5-12 (Pickel 2-4, Lyons 2-3, Huff 0-3, Monnett 1-2). Turnovers — WV 15, NP 10. Rebounds — NP 19 (Huff 6), WV 18 (Easton 7).