South Putnam runs Indian Creek close in 66-61 loss

Good things happen when you play hard and compete.

The South Putnam Eagles came into Friday night’s Western Indiana Conference matchup with the Indian Creek Braves as prohibitive underdogs, but battled throughout the game, coming up just short at home on senior night 66-61.

The Eagles outrebounded Indian Creek 38-26 behind 17 rebounds from Khalil Jefferson. South seemed to get to every loose ball but could not quite hit enough shots to take down the Braves. The Eagles repeatedly came back from double-digit deficits to have a chance late but fell just short.

The loss dropped the Eagles to 7-15 on the season and 1-10 in the WIC. Indian Creek locked up second place in the WIC and improved to 14-8 and 8-3 in conference play.

“I really liked the way we played a full game. We got off to a slow start and could have packed it in. The kids just kept grinding. We kept battling and won the second half,” South Putnam head coach Josh Estridge said.

Indian Creek jumped out to an early 10-2 lead, but the Eagles came back as Wyatt Mullin and Jefferson combined for seven quick points to cut the lead to 10-9.

The Braves answered with a trey from Landon Martin despite Mullin and Jefferson getting four more points, Indian Creek led 17-13 at the first stoppage in play.

Despite the Braves knocking down three three-pointers and seemingly hitting every shot early in the game, coach Estridge was happy with his defense.

“Our defense was pretty good. (Indian Creek) create a lot of matchup problems for us. I felt like everything they did was tough. That was what we wanted to do,” Estridge said.

The Eagles hit a lull offensively to start the second quarter and did not score in the first three and half minutes until Parker Harris knocked down a free throw.

The Braves would take a 28-14 lead until South would battle back. Drew Hill scored five points late in the half and the Eagles would cut the lead to 33-26 before Indian Creek hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer gave the visitors a 36-26 halftime edge.

“Drew got to the line and made all his free throws. He made a couple of threes and was attacking the paint. He did a lot for us. I told him it was senior night and to leave it all on the floor and he did that,” Estridge said of his lone senior player honored.

Indian Creek kept the Eagles at bay in the third quarter, not allowing South to get any closer than seven points, but the Braves could not pull away either.

The teams ended the third period with same 10-point margin, 48-38, that they started the half with. Jefferson ended the quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play after getting an offensive rebound.

“Khalil had 17 of our total rebounds. He is learning how to use his body. He is getting that Dennis Rodman mentality where he is going to be a magnet to the basketball. He has become an unbelievable rebounder for us,” Estridge said of his sophomore, who recorded his second straight double-double.

Hill led a comeback in the fourth quarter with nine of his team-high 20 points coming in the period. The Eagles put up 23 points in the period as Jefferson continued to give his team second chances with his rebounding. Mullin had five points and Harris got four points in the final quarter as well.

Hill’s jumper with :07 left cut the Brave lead to 64-61, but the Braves’ Carter Modlin hit a pair of late free throws to set the final margin at 66-61.

“I thought offensively, it was one of our better games of the season. We got balance. Drew scored; Wyatt gave us 15 points. Cam (Bozell) hit a couple of threes and Parker came off the bench to get some points,” Estridge said.

Indian Creek was led by Martin’s 22 points. Adam Crouch had 16, Bobby Emberton added 13 and Modlin chipped in with 10. Hill led the Eagles with 20 points, Mullin scored 15 and Jefferson had 13.

“We did a lot of good things tonight. Just competing, buying into the scouting report and getting a consistent effort from everyone on the court. There was a sense of belief that we could win. Those are all things we are going to need going into next week,” Estridge said of his Eagles, who next contest Greencastle in Class 2A Sectional No. 44 on Wednesday night at McAnally Center.

INDIAN CREEK (66) – Volz 1-2 0-0 2, Crouch 7-12 0-1 16, Martin 7-18 5-7 22, Modlin 3-6 2-2 10, Lowhorn 1-3 0-0 3 Emberton 5-6 3-6 13, Connell 0-0 0-2 0, Staats 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-48 FG, 10-18 FT, 66 TP.

SOUTH PUTNAM (61) – Mullin 6-12 1-1 15, Cline 1-1 0-0 2, Bozell 2-9 0-0 6, Jefferson 6-10 1-1 13, Hill 7-18 4-4 20, Garner 0-5 0-0 0, Witt 0-0 0-0 0, Harris 1-1 3-4 5. Totals 23-56 FG, 9-10 FT, 61 TP.

3-point shooting –IC 8-22 (Volz 0-1, Crouch 2-5, Martin 3-9, Modlin 2-5 Lowhorn 1-3, Staats 0-1), SP 6-30 (Mullin 2-7, Bozell 2-8, Hill 2-10, Garner 0-5) Rebounds –IC 26 (Volz 3, Crouch 3, Martin 4, Modlin 4, Emberton 6, Connell 1, Staats 2), SP – 38 (Mullin 7, Cline 2, Bozell 4, Jefferson 17, Hill 3) FG Pct. – IC 50.0, SP 41.1. FT Pct. – IC 55.6, SP 90.0. Turnovers – IC 7, SP 9.