Cougars win rollercoaster senior night over Patriots

Pressing together with sister Lexi Daigle, North Putnam's Hailee Daigle was able to steal away possession from Owen Valley's Reagan Martin and, in doing so, sealed a topsy-turvy 42-39 win for the Cougars Friday night.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

BAINBRIDGE – It could have been easier for North Putnam Friday night.

It just wouldn’t have fit the mold the girls’ basketball team has made for itself in the 2022-23 season.

Leading Owen Valley by 12 midway through the third quarter, the Cougars would score a single point over the next eight minutes and faced a four-point deficit with the Patriots in the double bonus.

Yet the hosts, celebrating Kyndal Brewer for senior night, knuckled down in the closing stretch, holding the visitors to a point in the last two minutes and stealing away a final chance for a 42-39 win.

“We wouldn’t be the Cardiac Cougars if we won in a landslide,” North Putnam head coach Craig Franklin said. “I think the girls do it on purpose to get me to pass out on the sideline.

“I was really happy with how gritty our team defense was. (Owen Valley) has a really talented scorer we were worried about both inside and outside but we executed the game plan.

“We struggled a bit when we saw pressure but down the stretch, we made enough plays to win and that’s what mattered,” Franklin added.

Brewer was a key piece of the North Putnam (10-10, 3-6) in the first half, scoring the team’s first basket of the night and hitting a three at the end of the first quarter to give the home side a 10-7 lead.

The senior added two free throws and a basket in the second quarter as the Cougar zone defense bottled up Owen Valley’s (10-13, 5-5 WIC) offense.

“I can’t say enough about what (Kyndal) has brought to the program over four years,” Franklin said about the sole senior. “She’s been coachable, is the consummate leader, always talking and communicating, and I was really proud we could pull one out for her tonight.”

The Patriots’ leading scorer, Reagan Martin, was able to knock down two threes in the second period but also picked up three fouls, further hindering the visitors, who trailed 18-15 at halftime.

Two threes from Rose Haste kickstarted an 11-2 run to start the second half for the Cougars with Lexi Daigle adding a basket and Jacy Huffman notching a three, forcing a timeout from Owen Valley to regroup down 29-17.

The visitors pushed their press higher up the floor and found success as North Putnam was caught in two minds between patient play and quick layup chances, often losing the ball instead.

Owen Valley scored the next 10 points as Martin and Taylor York scored three points each, Mallory Owen scored on an inbounds pass and Lilly Smith hit two free throws.

Melanie Davies hit a free throw to make it 30-27 but Martin scored inside and outside to hand the Patriots a 32-30 lead.

Free throws from Kalyn Greene and Kearstin Ciresi pushed the lead to 34-30 before Hailee Daigle scored the first basket for the hosts in eight minutes.

Lexi Daigle would add three free throws to take back the lead at 35-34 and had a chance to extend the lead after an offensive foul and technical foul were leveled against the visitors but Brewer missed both free throws.

Addi Osburn would add a free throw on the next offensive and Martin would miss two free throws but made up for the misses with a jumper to tie the game at 36-36.

York scored on a putback off a steal to give Owen Valley a 38-36 lead but Haste would get a steal and three-point play to take a 39-38 lead.

Inside the final two minutes, York hit 1-of-2 at the line but retained possession off the miss, giving the visitors a chance to take the lead, one the Patriots failed to convert.

On the other end, Martin blocked one shot out of bounds but Lexi Daigle was able to get to the line, hitting both to make it 41-39.

A steal saw the Cougars burn the clock down to under 10 seconds where Hailee Daigle hit 1-of-2 at the line and the freshman sealed the win by picking Martin’s pocket and running out the clock.

“That easily could have gone the other way for us if we didn’t get back, hunker down defensively and back to what we were doing successfully on offense,” Franklin said about the closing stretch. “This is a young squad and even though we’re late in the season, there are some girls who are playing roles they haven’t before.

“I’m pleased that we stayed with it, trusted ourselves and went back to moving the ball quickly.”

Scoring

Owen Valley (9-27 2FG; 4-16 3FG; 9-17 FT) — Martin 16, York 11, Kay 4, Ciresi 3, Smith 2, Owen 2, Greene 1

North Putnam (8-22 2FG; 4-10 3FG; 14-24 FT) — Brewer 9, Haste 9, L. Daigle 9, H. Daigle 7, Huffman 3, Osburn 3, Davies 2

Scoring

Owen Valley (9-27 2FG; 4-16 3FG; 9-17 FT) — Martin 16, York 11, Kay 4, Ciresi 3, Smith 2, Owen 2, Greene 1

North Putnam (8-22 2FG; 4-10 3FG; 14-24 FT) — Brewer 9, Haste 9, L. Daigle 9, H. Daigle 7, Huffman 3, Osburn 3, Davies 2

Statistics