South Putnam wins consolation game over Cougars

Saturday, November 22, 2014
South Putnam's Maddie McHugh (30) battles North Putnam's Emilee Henninger (31) for a rebound during the County Tournament. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

The South Putnam girls' basketball team took the win at home against North Putnam on Saturday in the first game of Day 2 in the Putnam County Tournament. The Eagles held off a surging Cougar team to win 38-32.

The first game started with a defensive mindset as neither team went on a scoring run. North Putnam was able to hold the Eagles to just five first-quarter points. Freshman Miranda Bieghler hit a three-pointer and senior Katelyn Lady hit two free throws after getting into the paint.

North was also finding points difficult to come by but senior Kaitlin Mindiola, who was attacking the lane all night, cashed in on two foul shots. Juniors Taylor Nauert and Adriana Millican were the only Cougars to make field goals.

Cougar Emilee Henniger (31) raises up to keep a rebound away from Eagle Miranda Bieghler (20). (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"We felt like our motive is all about defense," South Putnam coach Tim Garver said. "Our girls stepped in. They fought through. They were getting a little tired. They stuck it out and kept working. I'm extremely proud of the effort of them."

In the second quarter the defensive battle was met with offensive physicality on both ends of the court.

The Cougars were determined to get good shots near the rim and consistently used Millican, Nauert and Mindiola to pound the ball inside.

Kaitlin Mindiola secures an offensive rebound. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

The Eagles were able to take a slight lead at halftime that was not indicative of the number of shots they were able to take.

With each team the effort was more than present but the lead was tight, 19-17 Eagles going into halftime.

"We just couldn't let it go in our minds," senior Ariel Higgins said. "We still wanted to win. We needed to work as a team so that we could calm ourselves down. We were scatter-brained I think and we tried to rush things. We just needed to slow it down and keep doing what we do."

North Putnam's Taylor Nauert (21) uses the baseline to elude South Punnam's Katie Hewitt. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

In the third quarter South Putnam went on an 11-3 run even though the Cougars began to penetrate more easily and get looks at the rim. The aggressiveness that allowed North Putnam to score 11 in the second and make it to the foul line 10 times in the second half did not serve the Cougars well as the points didn't materialize.

"We did a good job toward the end of handling the 1-3-1," interim coach Chase Hiland said. "It wasn't really a trap. By the end of the game I thought our patience settled down. It just took a while to get there. I know (head) coach (Jim) Spencer always said it's about getting better throughout the game and getting better every day. That's one thing that we did do well. We had shots in the third quarter we just didn't make them. You have that some times. Then South Putnam made everything in the third. That put us in a hole."

While North Putnam was struggling, Lady and junior Jessica Modglin made some three-pointers and Modglin added a field goal to give South a 10-point lead going into the fourth.

"A lot of people are coming a really long way," Higgins said. "We are all showing improvement and we are working really well as a team on defense. We're communicating and that is what you need to be able to stop people."

Garver credits the effort of his players and the timing of defensive play calling in the second half that produced a lead and an eventual win.

Eagle Jessica Modglin dribbles up the court. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"We went to a 1-2-1 and it seemed to really work," Garver said. "Then we were getting into foul trouble so we switched to a three-two and they have two big girls inside and it made it awful tough on us. We went back to the 1-3-1. We have read it some and it was just one of those things where things started to click. Girls were in the right spots and we started getting some good turnovers."

The Cougars were still attacking in the fourth and senior Jazzmin Laffin and sophomore Emilee Henninger added to the free throw attempts to help North Putnam outscore South Putnam 12-8 in the fourth but the lead was too much and the Eagles took the victory."

Spencer was not present Saturday, as he was attending son Hank's NCAA Division III football playoff game. Hank is a junior linebacker for Mount Union.

The 2012 North Putnam graduate led the Purple Raiders with six tackles and a sack in their 63-3 first round win over Adrian.


At South Putnam

Putnam County Consolation game


North Putnam 6 11 3 12 -- 32

South Putnam 15 14 11 8 -- 38

Individual Statistics

North Putnam

Nauert 13 points, 4 reb 1 stl, 1 asst; Mindiola 7 pts, 4 reb, 1 stl, Millican 5 pts, 4 reb, Henninger 3 pts, 8 reb, 2 stl, Evans 2 pts; Clodfelter 1 pt, 2 reb, 2 asst, 2 stl, Laffin 5 reb, 2 stl, 1 asst


South Putnam

Lady 13 pts, 2 asst, Bieghler 12 pts 2 reb, 1 stl; Modglin 10 pts, 3 asst, 2 reb; Hewitt 3 pts, 5 reb, asst; McHugh 3 reb, 1 stl, 1 asst, Dobson 1 reb' Carmichael 1 reb, Stein 1 reb

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