Pilgrims drop OT contest to NP
“We battled back and sent it into the overtime. We didn’t quit. There are things to build off of there.” Plymouth coach Ryan Bales
NEW CARLISLE - Facing a second veteran-laden team in the first three days of the season Plymouth’s Pilgrims took a step forward but fell to New Prairie in overtime 60-48.
Plymouth led much of the way but couldn’t hold off a Cougar onslaught in the last quarter.
The Pilgrims led until the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter when New Prairie turned up the heat defensively in the half-court forcing four key turnovers in the frame. Their trapping defense forced Plymouth into a transition game that was not to their advantage.
“The more aggressive team won,” said Plymouth head coach Ryan Bales. “For the entire second half, I thought they were more aggressive. They were trapping us. They used their length really well and sped us up in the wrong way. We got careless with the ball and panicky. We have to have some playmakers in those situations.”
“In spite of all that we battled back and sent it into the overtime,” he said. “We didn’t quit. There are things to build off of there.”
Indeed, the Pilgrims did not quit and some fourth- quarter heroics down the stretch from sophomore guard Davis Wray cut back a New Prairie lead with points on four straight trips down the floor.
“We need that out of him,” said Bales. “In that moment it was him making the decision that he’s going to go make the play. Most of those shots were the right basketball play. It helps when it goes in, but having some guts to step up and having no fear. We are going to live with that and that seemed to be his mindset. Hopefully, that’s something that we can build on during the week.”
Plymouth had a chance to win the game in regulation getting the ball with 12 seconds left, but couldn’t make a shot fall.
In overtime, the Cougars were able to stretch their lead and came away with the win.
The Pilgrims’ defensive effort was the story of the game again as they controlled the tempo and the score for much of the game.
“We did some very good things overall,” said Bales. “Some 50/50 calls with some of the ball pressure stuff in the first half and sometimes that can take away some of your aggressiveness. I think our guys got a little tentative on the defensive end thinking that they weren’t going to get those calls but we have to learn to play through those moments and play through some adversity.”
“We were there,” he said. ‘We were in position. We have to have some finishers.”
Plymouth was able to keep the significantly bigger Cougars from dominating the boards, a positive carryover from opening night.
“I give the officials credit there,” said Bales. “We did exactly what we wanted to do and we did get some over-the-back calls.”
“It goes back to something that we talked about the other night against Glenn,” he said. “We did not finish some possessions. We did better in game two. We now have to go to the film and try to fix something from game two to game three.”
Game three will be Tuesday night at home against Triton.
• NEW PRAIRIE 60, PLYMOUTH 48
At New Carlilse Plymouth 18 24 33 46 48 N. Prairie 15 20 29 46 60
Plymouth (48) - Weidner 1 0-0 3, Bales 1 0-0 2, Yoder 1 2-3 4, Wray 4 2-2 10, Strain 7 0-0 16, Feece 2 1-2 7. Totals 16 5-7 48.
N. Prairie (60) - Daniels 1 0-0 3, Berttin 1 0-1 2, Staley 1 0-0 2, Lapcynski 4 1-2 11, Mcbride 7 4-4 23, Flagg 4 2-2 12, Smith 2 5-6 9, Ekovich 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 12-15 60.
3 Pt. FG - Plymouth 6 (Strain 3), N. Prairie 8 (Mcbride 3).
Rebounds - Plymouth 18 (Wray, Strain, Feece 4), N. Prairie 18 (Smith 6).
Assists - Plymouth 7 (Wray 2), N. Prairie 5.
Steals - Plymouth 5, N. Prairie 3.
Turnovers - Plymouth 13, N. Prairie 11.
Fouls (Fouled out) - Plymouth 15 (Strain), N. Prairie 9.