Plymouth Drops Whitko To 0-6
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SOUTH WHITLEY - The famous saying goes, "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."
That is exactly what happened during Saturday night's game. The Plymouth Pilgrims boasted a 4-0 overall record and figured on an easy win over the struggling 0-5 Whitko Wildcats.
But the struggle laid in their own laps as the Wildcats pushed above and beyond what they had thought and gave Plymouth an early season eye-opener.
But as the final seconds ticked off the clock, it was the Pilgrims who left with a close win over their hosts, beating Whitko 62-53.
"I am extremely proud of my team," said Whitko coach Steve Pickett. "This is the best we have played all year."
Whitko came in pumped up and owned the early lead as starting forward Ben Ryan nailed the first two field goals of the game. Ryan made 73 percent of his shots en route to a season-high 18 points. He also pulled down eight rebounds.
"I realize now that we should have gotten the ball to him (Ryan) a lot more throughout the game," Pickett said.
The first lead of the game lasted the entire first-half as the Wildcats outscored their rivals and took a nine-point lead into the locker room, 29-20.
But the third quarter woes that have plagued Whitko all year returned as the Pilgrims outscored the Wildcats 20-8 in the third quarter to take the lead with 2:18 left. The Wildcats bounced back to keep it close but just couldn't stop Plymouth's offense.
"Our defense was great in the first half, but it was our terrible third and fourth quarters that we lost intensity," said Pickett.
Pickett was takling about the first-half defense that forced the No. 8 offense in the state to commit 10 turnovers. The defense that caused a red-hot hand like Pilgrim John Pettibone's to shoot 0 for 6 from three-point range. The defense that held the Pilgrims to 29 percent shooting from the floor. The defense that Pickett had not seen earlier this seasonn.
"I'm so happy that we are immensely improving our game, and I expect it to continue" said Pickett. "We are a whole new team than we were a week ago."
Starting guard Shane Henderson added his double-digit score of 11 for the Wildcats, and off the bench Bryan Howard scored 12.
The Pilgrims had four shooters in double figures.
Perhaps the blow that knocked Whitko out was the free throw shooting and attempts that Plymouth was getting. The Pilgrims nailed 18 of 28 free throws, surpassing the number of field goals they hit by two. Whitko hit 9 of 13 from the free throw line.
The Wildcats had a better shooting percentage, grabbed more rebounds, forced more turnovers and dished more assists than the Pilgrims but still came out on the losing end of this intense game.
"Plymouth makes you earn it, and we just fell to the pressure," said Pickett.
The Wildcats hit the road and travel to Churubusco Friday.
PLYMOUTH 62, WHITKO 53
Whitko 19 10 8 16 - 53
Plymouth 13 7 20 22 - 62
Whitko FG FT A S R Pts.
Henderson (G) 2-7 1-2 2 2 2 11
Waller (G) 2-6 0-1 1 1 2 4
Wendel (F) 2-7 0-0 1 1 2 4
Ryan (F) 6-9 5-6 1 0 8 18
Goble (C) 2-4 0-0 2 0 2 4
Manuel 0-4 0-0 0 0 2 0
Frantz 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Robbins 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Howard 4-5 3-4 3 0 3 12
Totals 18-42 9-13 11 4 24 53
Plymouth FG FT A S R Pts.
Pettibone (F) 5-18 5-6 1 1 7 15
Blubaugh (F) 3-7 2-3 1 0 3 11
Stuckenmeyer (G) 3-8 2-3 1 0 5 10
Snyder (G) 5-9 1-2 0 0 1 12
Houin (C) 0-2 3-3 0 1 2 3
Slein 0-1 2-4 0 0 0 2
Delp 2-7 2-2 0 0 1 6
Stetler 1-1 0-2 0 1 4 2
Davis 0-2 1-3 0 0 0 1
Totals 19-55 18-28 3 3 23 62
Three-point goals -ÊWhitko 4-15 (Henderson 2-3, Howard 1-3, Ryan 1-2), Plymouth 4-12 (Blubaugh 3, Snyder . Turnovers -ÊWhitko 14, Plymouth 17. Total Fouls -ÊWhitko 20, Plymouth 15. Fouled out - None.
JV Score - WHITKO 50, PLYMOUTH 41
Whitko leaders -ÊJohn Woods 13, Anthony Clausen 11, Josh Hoffman 8, Alex Frantz 7, Alan Robbins 4, Brad Walpole 3, Drew Lopshire 2, Drew Spangle 2. [[In-content Ad]]
SOUTH WHITLEY - The famous saying goes, "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."
That is exactly what happened during Saturday night's game. The Plymouth Pilgrims boasted a 4-0 overall record and figured on an easy win over the struggling 0-5 Whitko Wildcats.
But the struggle laid in their own laps as the Wildcats pushed above and beyond what they had thought and gave Plymouth an early season eye-opener.
But as the final seconds ticked off the clock, it was the Pilgrims who left with a close win over their hosts, beating Whitko 62-53.
"I am extremely proud of my team," said Whitko coach Steve Pickett. "This is the best we have played all year."
Whitko came in pumped up and owned the early lead as starting forward Ben Ryan nailed the first two field goals of the game. Ryan made 73 percent of his shots en route to a season-high 18 points. He also pulled down eight rebounds.
"I realize now that we should have gotten the ball to him (Ryan) a lot more throughout the game," Pickett said.
The first lead of the game lasted the entire first-half as the Wildcats outscored their rivals and took a nine-point lead into the locker room, 29-20.
But the third quarter woes that have plagued Whitko all year returned as the Pilgrims outscored the Wildcats 20-8 in the third quarter to take the lead with 2:18 left. The Wildcats bounced back to keep it close but just couldn't stop Plymouth's offense.
"Our defense was great in the first half, but it was our terrible third and fourth quarters that we lost intensity," said Pickett.
Pickett was takling about the first-half defense that forced the No. 8 offense in the state to commit 10 turnovers. The defense that caused a red-hot hand like Pilgrim John Pettibone's to shoot 0 for 6 from three-point range. The defense that held the Pilgrims to 29 percent shooting from the floor. The defense that Pickett had not seen earlier this seasonn.
"I'm so happy that we are immensely improving our game, and I expect it to continue" said Pickett. "We are a whole new team than we were a week ago."
Starting guard Shane Henderson added his double-digit score of 11 for the Wildcats, and off the bench Bryan Howard scored 12.
The Pilgrims had four shooters in double figures.
Perhaps the blow that knocked Whitko out was the free throw shooting and attempts that Plymouth was getting. The Pilgrims nailed 18 of 28 free throws, surpassing the number of field goals they hit by two. Whitko hit 9 of 13 from the free throw line.
The Wildcats had a better shooting percentage, grabbed more rebounds, forced more turnovers and dished more assists than the Pilgrims but still came out on the losing end of this intense game.
"Plymouth makes you earn it, and we just fell to the pressure," said Pickett.
The Wildcats hit the road and travel to Churubusco Friday.
PLYMOUTH 62, WHITKO 53
Whitko 19 10 8 16 - 53
Plymouth 13 7 20 22 - 62
Whitko FG FT A S R Pts.
Henderson (G) 2-7 1-2 2 2 2 11
Waller (G) 2-6 0-1 1 1 2 4
Wendel (F) 2-7 0-0 1 1 2 4
Ryan (F) 6-9 5-6 1 0 8 18
Goble (C) 2-4 0-0 2 0 2 4
Manuel 0-4 0-0 0 0 2 0
Frantz 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Robbins 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Howard 4-5 3-4 3 0 3 12
Totals 18-42 9-13 11 4 24 53
Plymouth FG FT A S R Pts.
Pettibone (F) 5-18 5-6 1 1 7 15
Blubaugh (F) 3-7 2-3 1 0 3 11
Stuckenmeyer (G) 3-8 2-3 1 0 5 10
Snyder (G) 5-9 1-2 0 0 1 12
Houin (C) 0-2 3-3 0 1 2 3
Slein 0-1 2-4 0 0 0 2
Delp 2-7 2-2 0 0 1 6
Stetler 1-1 0-2 0 1 4 2
Davis 0-2 1-3 0 0 0 1
Totals 19-55 18-28 3 3 23 62
Three-point goals -ÊWhitko 4-15 (Henderson 2-3, Howard 1-3, Ryan 1-2), Plymouth 4-12 (Blubaugh 3, Snyder . Turnovers -ÊWhitko 14, Plymouth 17. Total Fouls -ÊWhitko 20, Plymouth 15. Fouled out - None.
JV Score - WHITKO 50, PLYMOUTH 41
Whitko leaders -ÊJohn Woods 13, Anthony Clausen 11, Josh Hoffman 8, Alex Frantz 7, Alan Robbins 4, Brad Walpole 3, Drew Lopshire 2, Drew Spangle 2. [[In-content Ad]]