Cougars hit Trojans for 49 points in second half to win third-straight

COVINGTON - The North Putnam Cougars girls’ basketball team went on the road Thursday night and exploded for 49 second-half points as 10 girls scored to pace the visitors to a 68-47 non-conference victory over the Covington Trojans.

North got out to a very slow start, missing its first six three-point attempts. The Trojans controlled the tempo and took advantage of the Cougars’ shooting woes, getting out to a nine-point lead in the opening quarter 16-7.

Jasmine Duvall and Melanie Davies scored the only baskets in the quarter for the Cougars while Jenna Day hit three-of-four foul shots to keep them within range. They were also hampered by six first-quarter fouls.

North began to right the ship in the second. A three from Duvall and a nice putback from Rose Haste got the lead down to six. Five points from Lexi Daigle aided the effort.

Right before the half, Davies grabbed an offensive board and put it right in as the visitors trailed by just two at the break. As shots started to fall, the pace and the confidence also picked up.

Playing 12 girls and pressuring full court took its toll in the second half. Covington, only dressing nine girls on the night, could not withstand the pressure.

Outsourcing the Trojans 24-14 in third, the Cougars pulled out in front. Five threes in the quarter, two each from Davies and Sammie Hoops, got them rolling and the pace quickened even more. This played right into their hands.

Pulling away for good in the final quarter, North led by as many as 24. They scored the first 10 points as. Lexi Daigle hit a three, as did Addisyn Osburn in the run. Haste scored eight in row later in the quarter, driving to rim and hitting a trifecta. Layci Reed scored five down the stretch to finish off the Trojans.

“It took us a while to get going. We weren’t playing our style by halftime. We had to dig ourselves out of a hole and the girls knew it. To come out in the second half and play like we played says a lot about the growth of this team., said North Putnam assistant Kelly Windmiller, who was filling in for the ill Curtis Lawrence.

The Cougars have won three in a row to improve to 3-2 on the season. Four girls finished in double figures as Haste and Lexi Daigle each had 12 and Jasmine Duvall added 11, while Davies chipped in 10.

Ten Cougars in all put points on the board. Haste added seven rebounds. North finished the night shooting 57 percent and 48 percent from behind the arc.

Team Stats

Individual Stats

Points - (NP) Haste 12, L. Daigle 12, Duvall 11,Davies 10, Day 5, Osburn 5, Reed 5, H. Daigle 3, Hoops 3, Mason 2; (Co) Sutherlin 13,Hacquet 8, Brown 8, Crain 6, Holycross 5, Kingery 5, McBride 2

Rebounds - (NP) Haste 7, H. Daigle 5, Davies 3, Huffman 3, L. Daigle 2, Duvall 1, Osburn 1, Carrell 1, Reed 1, Mason 1; (Co) Sutherlin 6, Hacquet 6, Crain 4, Kingery 4, Holycross 2, Brown 2, McBride 1