North Putnam presses Greencastle into submission

North Putnam's Nolan Hackleman adds a finishing touch following one of the Cougars' 12 steals in the fourth quarter, turning a 39-30 deficit into a 51-46 win over Greencastle Friday night.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

For three quarters, Greencastle looked as though it was going to finally bring the Putnam County Bucket back home to McAnally Center Friday night.

North Putnam, trailing 39-30 after three quarters, instead had the Tiger Cubs right where they wanted them, harrying the hosts throughout the final quarter and picking their pockets 12 times in the final eight minutes as the Cougars rallied for a 51-46 win.

“We’ve never been able to put a full game together, so that means we’re always going to be scratching and clawing,” North Putnam head coach Vince Brooks said. “That’s what this group does; they never stop fighting and I’m super proud of them tonight.

“For only having a senior, some juniors, a sophomore and a freshman, I couldn’t ask any more of the poise and maturity they show when times get tough.”

“At a certain point, you have to learn how to win a game,” Greencastle head coach Bryce Rector said. “We clearly have not done that yet.

Greencastle (2-10, 1-6 WIC) began a stretch without starter Cody Evans on the right foot as Anthony Adams hit an early three that was matched by Brayden Monnett, followed by a 9-0 ruin with a three and layup from Sam Gooch, a Cole Hutcheson jumper and Adams layup.

Isaac Pickel scored three points to break the run while a late basket from Boyd Ensley gave the hosts a 14-6 lead after eight minutes of play.

North Putnam (6-8, 3-4 WIC) started the second quarter with a 9-0 run of its own as Kaden Helderman, Monnet and Nolan Hackleman all drained threes for a brief 15-14 lead.

The Tiger Cubs would finish the half on a 15-2 run as Ian Williamson tied the game at 15-15 before Gooch added two more free throws, Hutcheson hit consecutive threes and Adams scored at the rim.

Brady Barber broke the 11-point streak with a layup but Hutcheson scored on a putback and Gooch closed the half with a jumper to make it 29-17.

“Ian played great,” Rector said about the sophomore, who was in the game for extended minutes with several players in foul trouble. “I though all of our guys played pretty darn well, especially early on.”

“We didn’t shoot well,” Brooks said after going 4-of-19 from three in the first half and 9-of-35 from behind the arc in the game. “In the first half, at one timeout, I said we were playing terrible but down just five and we needed to put some things together.

“Unfortunately, the outside shooting as a whole wasn’t great tonight but their effort and resiliency was.”

Gooch opened the second half with a short hook to stretch the lead to its largest at 14 before Hackleman and Monnett scored to trip the gap to 31-22.

The lead stayed around nine points as the teams traded off scores the rest of the period, leaving North Putnam staring down a 39-30 deficit.

“We played a great first three quarters,” Rector said about heading into the fourth quarter. “Our intensity and energy was really good, something we preached at practice all week.

“They’re doing everything we ask them to do, with the exception of winning games.”

Helderman started the final period with a steal and three while Barber and Monnett would add baskets off steals to make it 42-37.

Barber and Gooch hit two free throws each while a Monnett layup off another steal made it 44-41.

Though the Cougars were effective in their press and swiping errant passes, the clock was working against them as Williamson scored on an open layup with 1:25 to play, only to exit after landing awkwardly following the basket.

Out of the break, Hackleman hit a three just seven seconds later and, after another steal, converted a three-point play with a minute to go to take a 47-46 lead.

Greencastle’s offense had lost all steam by that point and Hackleman scored off yet another steal to make it 49-46.

The Tiger Cubs could not get anything to fall as Helderman and Barber iced the game with late free throws to keep the Bucket in Bainbridge with one final county game before the Putnam County Classic in February.

“With five minutes to go, you could feel we had to start taking some chances,” Brooks said about the defensive pressure late. “We turned up the aggressiveness and you wonder why we weren’t as aggressive throughout the game.

“We’re super proud of the guys. There were moments where there were a couple of tough breaks, not wrong calls but in disappointing in the situation, but our guys kept their heads and battled through the adversity.”

“That fourth quarter, you could see there were a lot of young players that were inexperienced out on the floor,” Rector said about the late collapse. “In a couple of years, they don’t make those plays but that doesn’t matter now.

“We have to find somebody who can take on the responsibility to get us under control and we couldn’t find that tonight. We’ve read this same book 10 times now, against Sullivan, against Northview, against South Putnam and others, where we need to find a way to make plays that you have to in high school basketball to win games.”

Scoring

North Putnam (10-20 2FG; 7-35 3FG; 10-19 FT) — Hackleman 16, Monnett 13, Helderman 12, Barber 7, Pickel 3

Greencastle (13-24 2FG; 4-12 3FG; 8-15 FT) — Gooch 15, Hutcheson 13, Adams 11, Williamson 3, Ensley 2, Simmerman 2

Statistics