South Putnam does double at West Vigo

South Putnam swept a pair of basketball games at West Vigo on Friday night, claiming the boys' game by a 65-58 score and the girls' game by a 51-40 margin.

The boys' game was a head-to-head matchup of prolific scorers in West Vigo's Zeke Tanoos (31 points) and South Putnam's Drew Hill (29).

Hill had eight points in the first quarter as his team took a 16-11 at the first stop, while Tanoos broke out for 11 in the second period as his squad assumed a slim 29-27 halftime lead.

The Eagles got balanced scoring in the third period in capturing the quarter by an 18-13 margin, while Tanoos had 11 more to help keep his team within 45-42 at the final stop.

The Vikings held their last lead at 42-40 on a Tanoos putback basket with 43 seconds left in the third period.

South Putnam was able to put the game at the free throw line, hitting 12 of 14 in the final period and 23 of 26 in all.

Talen Boehler scored the final nine points of the game for West Vigo, which could never get closer than four points in the fourth period.

The Eagles were able to put the game away in the closing seconds as Cameron Bozell threw a perfect baseball pass on an inbounds play which HIll caught, converted the layup and then a free throw after being fouled

Austen Branam and Jeremiah Hibbeln each aded 12 points for the Eagles, who improved to 4-2 overall and 4-1 in Western Indiana Conference play,.West Vigo dropped to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in WIC action.

Boehler had 17 points for the Vikings and Ryan Smith added 8, but the rest of the Vikings managed just two points.

In the girls' game, South Putnam led 7-5 after one period and increased that gap to 15-6 midway through the second quarter on a pair of Kelsey Custis free throws and a basket from Chlara Pistelli.

West Vigo got treys from Katelyn Fennell and Hannah Stepp to stay close, but the Eagles got a trey from Joscelyn Pilcher and another Pistelli hoop to hold a 23-17 lead at intermission.

West Vigo drained four treys in the third period (two from Delaney Marrs and one each from Kenzie Knopf and Fennell.

The Eagles held onto their lead, getting treys from Custis and Pilcher to hold a slim 35-31 lead at the final stop.

The Eagles put the game by scoring the first 11 points of the fourth quarter, and the VIkings could not get closer than the final score the rest of the way.

Custis paced three Eagles in double figures with 14 points, while Pilcher had 13 and Pistelli added 11.

Fennell led the Vikings with 12 points, while Marrs added 10. The Vikings made one more 3-point field goal than 2-point baskets (8-7).

South Putnam improved to 6-7 overall and 2-4 in the WIC, while West Vigo fell to 3-8 overall and 1-4 in the WIC.

Boys' game

SOUTH PUTNAM (65) — Hibbeln 4-6 3-5 12, Garner 0-2 2-2 2, Hill 8-23 10-11 29, Bozell 1-2 2-2 5, Branam 3-4 6-6 12, Switzer 0-3 0-0 0, Dorsett 0-1 0-0 0, Mullin 2-4 0-0 5. Totals 18-45 FG, 23-26 FT, 65 TP

WEST VIGO (58) — Tanoos 10-19 8-10 31, Boehler 4-9 5-6 17, Smith 3-5 0-0 8, Turner 0-5 0-0 0, Evans 1-5 0-0 2, Pugh 0-0 0-1 0, Fields 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-44 FG, 13-17 FT, 58 TP

3-point shooting — SP 6-23 (Hibbeln 1-1, Garner 0-2, Hill 3-13, Switzer 0-1, Mullin 1-3), WV 9-27 (Tanoos 3-11, Boehler 4-6, Smith 2-2, Turner 0-5, Evans 0-2, Fields 0 -1). Turnovers -- South Putnam 8, WV 10.

Girls' game

SOUTH PUTNAM (51) — Custis 3 6-6 14, Cline 2 4-4 8, Pistelli 3 4-6 11, Emmerlich 0 1-2 1, Dooley 0 0-0 0, Gardner 2 0-0 4. Totals 15 FG, 15-18 FT, 51 TP

WEST VIGO (40) — Marrs 4 0-0 10, Knopp 2 2-2 7, Holman 0 0-2 0, Ramirez 1 0-0 2, Stark 0 0-0 0, Lasecki 0 0-0 0, Fennell 4 0-0 12, Stepp 4 0-0 9. Totals 15 FG, 2-4 FT, 40 TP

3-point baskets — Marrs 2, Knopp 1, Fennell 4, Stepp 1, Custis 2, Chlara 1 ,Pilcher 3.

Next game — South Putnam (6-7, 2-4) plays at Cascade on Wednesday.