The Putnam County girls basketball team used a strong start and clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch to earn a 70–56 victory over Lamar County on Jan. 28, securing sole possession of first place in the region.
The win carried added significance for the Lady War Eagles, who were swept by Lamar County last season. Putnam dropped three games to the Lady Trojans a year ago, including a loss in the second round of the playoffs.
Freshman Jaydah Baker scored a team-high 24 points, continuing her standout debut season. She was especially steady at the free-throw line, connecting on 10 attempts to help the Lady War Eagles fend off a fourth-quarter push. Senior Kadyn Dennis added 12 points, while junior Eryianna Little finished with 10.
“Free throws at the end of the game stood out,” Putnam head coach Derrick Arrington said after the win. “Stepping into the moment — that’s something we’ve been working on since the summer.”
Putnam set the tone early, taking a 15–11 lead at the end of the first quarter before stretching the margin to 33–22 by halftime. The Lady War Eagles continued to build momentum after the break, outscoring Lamar County in the third quarter to take a 47–31 advantage entering the final period.
The Lady Trojans mounted a late comeback attempt by outscoring Putnam 25–23 in the final eight minutes, but the Lady War Eagles stayed composed at the line to seal the victory.
“We had some adversity spots in there, and I thought we handled them well,” Arrington said.
Arrington also praised the community’s support, noting that the Eagles’ Nest was packed for what was arguably the biggest game of the regular season and provided a strong home-court advantage.
“The whole town was here tonight, and they did a great job showing how we play basketball,” he said.
The third-year head coach credited the win to a collective effort.
“Everybody had a job to do,” Arrington said. “It was a total team effort.”
Putnam also picked up a 55–17 win over Jasper County on Jan. 30. Little led the Lady War Eagles with 11 points, followed by junior Journey Waller with 10. Senior Jaikarccie Smith added eight points in the win.
Putnam’s girls are currently ranked No. 1 in Class A Division I by SandysSpiel.com. The Lady War Eagles entered the week at 16–1 overall and 5–0 in region play, with one regular-season game remaining Tuesday against Social Circle, past press time.