Boys Basketball: Austin Mattingly, Putnam County win OT thriller at Yorkville Christian in sectional rematch

YORKVILLE – Austin Mattingly made no bones about it – Putnam County came to Yorkville Christian Wednesday with something to prove.

Mattingly, a senior guard, is one of four starters back from a Panthers’ team that lost to the eventual Class 1A champion Mustangs by 34 points in last year’s sectional final. As if that was not motivation enough, Mattingly received a visual reminder of how his season ended last year.

With Yorkville Christian hosting Alumni Night, three graduated starters from the title team – including current Duke freshman Jaden Schutt – were in attendance.

And Mattingly noticed.

“Just seeing them, we had to show them how much we’ve improved from last year,” Mattingly said. “This game means a bunch. Last year they beat us in the sectional final. We took that to heart.”

It’s only December, but Mattingly and the Panthers left with quite a win.

He knocked down a tying 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Then Mattingly scored six of his team-high 33 points in the extra period in which Putnam County never trailed in an eventual 75-69 win over Yorkville Christian in the playoff rematch.

Jackson McDonald added 19 points and 12 rebounds and Wyatt Grimshaw eight points and 14 rebounds for Putnam County (11-3), which pulled down 16 offensive rebounds as a team to help key the win. McDonald scored 11 of his 19 in the third quarter, as the Panthers erased a 41-31 Yorkville Christian halftime lead with a 10-0 run out of the break.

From there the margin was never greater than five either way, until the final score.

“We knew they could shoot, we knew we had to keep it close, get their shooters tired and maybe they’d miss at the end,” Putnam County coach Harold Fay said. “We were able to do that a little bit. We only played five guys in the second half but they battled. We stayed tight, just kept grinding and grinding, didn’t take any hero shots, made the game tight.”

Putnam County overcame another huge offensive performance from Yorkville Christian senior guard David Douglas Jr., who scored 43 points, 25 of them in the first half. His two free throws with 16.3 seconds left in regulation gave the Mustangs (2-11) a 65-62 lead.

But Yorkville Christian failed to switch on Putnam County’s final possession, leaving Mattingly free for an open three from the baseline. It’s part of the growing pains for a Mustangs’ team with just one player – Douglas – back with any experience from last year’s team.

“It’s the little things and we don’t have much room for error,” Yorkville Christian coach Aaron Sovern said. “We make mistakes, and teams are capitalizing on them. Just a brain fart and we have a lot of those. We’ll learn. All of these games are bricks in the foundation. We’re just so inexperienced. D.J. is the only experienced one and he’s trying to pull the sled.”

Mattingly wasn’t Putnam County’s first option on the last possession – it was Grimshaw at the top of the key – but, as Fay noted, “they lost Austin, and God bless for that.”

“We executed it, glad it went in,” Mattingly said.

Douglas, who matched a school record with 51 points in a game earlier this season, appeared well on his way to that for a half.

He scored 15 of his total in the second quarter, seemingly getting to the rim at will, and his smooth pull-up started an 11-2 run to end the half after Yorkville Christian had trailed by six after a quarter.

But it wasn’t as easy for Douglas in the second half and overtime, when he shot 5-for-17, and Putnam County seemed to dare Yorkville Christian’s other players to take shots. The Mustangs shot just 11-for-44 from 3-point range, and missed their first six shots of the third quarter.

“They tried to clog the lane a little more and they weren’t sticking on shooters,” Douglas said. “Guys were missing shots, they were baiting them to shoot. They did try to pack it in a little bit.”

“We let them back in,” Sovern said. “Didn’t get great shots, we stood around defensively. We have to guard better, and we have to rebound better. We’ll make shots.”

Zach Marini scored nine points, Trey Lombardo had eight rebounds and Abram Fields seven points for Yorkville Christian.