By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – At first glance, Jeffersonville’s record is inexplicable. How can a defending sectional champion, with two Div. I recruits and three returning starters, be limping into the second half of the season with a dismal 3-8 mark? Upon further review, it’s understandable, although probably not acceptable.
First, star forward Will Lovings-Watts, who has committed to Drake University, was suspended five games. Then senior guard Kobe Stoudemire went down with an ankle injury. Then COVID struck hard, forcing a program pause. In fact, head coach Andrew Grantz – and his family – is still battling to overcome the virus.
That’s a lot of adversity, more than most could bear. On paper, the Red Devils look powerful, on the court they have yet to be at full strength for any stretch of time. Of course, they are starting to reload just in time to welcome Bedford North Lawrence to Johnson Arena on Friday night.
The Stars (6-6, 1-2 in the Hoosier Hills Conference) will get the best from the Devils. They should be used to that. They got the complete picture last season, falling twice in a pair of tense clashes. They also realize Jeffersonville is much more talented and dangerous than the record indicates.
“They’ve not had their whole team,” BNL coach Jeff Hein said. “They’re starting their season out now where everyone else is 10-12 games in. There’s a big difference. That’s why the record is what it is. They’re starting to come around.”
Jeffersonville won the regular-season battle at BNL 54-49, with Lovings-Watts scoring 22 points and Stoudemire hitting five treys for 15. The Devils won the rematch in the sectional championship, rallying from a seven-point deficit in the second half to clip the Stars 57-53 as Jaylen Fairman scored 18 points and Brandon Rayzer-Moore added 16.
“They’re so long defensively, they create issues,” Hein said. “We saw that in the sectional last year, when we had that lead. They can change the game real quick. They’ll put a lot of pressure on us, they’re very aggressive, so it’s a matter of if we can handle that, how well we can handle that.
“They’re tough to stop. Stoudemire has shot the heck out of it every time he sees us. They’ve got multiple weapons.”
Rayzer-Moore, a recruiting target of mid-major programs, lead the Devils in scoring at 17.0, while Lovings-Watts totals 16. Brenton Moore, a sophomore guard, contributes 9.5 points.
BNL will counter with its guard-heavy, ball-control attack of Colten Leach (13.5 points) and Colton Staggs (12.0 after netting 21 against Edgewood last week). The Stars are coming off a 56-45 win over Edgewood that reversed some troubling offensive trends.
“We played better,” Hein said. “We were more aggressive, we got out in transition. But this is different type of game than playing Edgewood. How we will find chinks in their armor – if there are any – and put points up?”
BNL at JEFFERSONVILLE
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: BNL 6-6 (1-2 in HHC); Jeffersonville 3-8 (1-2 in HHC)
Sagarin ratings: BNL 74.64; Jeffersonville 73.07
Last meeting: Jeffersonville swept two games from BNL last season, winning 54-49 during the regular-season clash at BNL and 57-53 in the sectional final at Seymour.
Previous game story: Devils catch fire
Game notes: Jeffersonville is the defending Class 4A sectional champion. BNL won its last trip to Johnson Arena, posting a 61-60 win in 2020.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Kaedyn Bennett 6-2 Jr.
F – Jett Jones 6-0 Jr.
G – Colton Staggs 5-11 Jr.
G – Trace Rynders 5-9 So.
G – Colten Leach 6-2 Jr.
Jeffersonville Red Devils
F – Will Lovings-Watts 6-5 Sr.
F – Brandon Rayzer-Moore 6-5 Sr.
F – Monnie McGee 6-3 Jr.
G – Kobe Stoudemire 5-8 Sr.
G – Brenton Moore 6-2 So.
