By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Measuring tape, pins, scissors, needle and thread. Those are the tools of a tailor, trimming a garment down to a perfect size. Bedford North Lawrence will need that meticulous approach when it journeys to Evansville.
Can the Stars, with three straight road wins, cut Reitz down? The Panthers have a noticeable, measurable size advantage. BNL (4-3) has faced that issue, and will continue to battle that, all year. Growth spurts don’t happen during the course of a season. Opponents can be clipped, snipped and ripped, just like cloth.
Reitz (6-1) is a tougher material. The Panthers, with an average height of 6-3 in their starting lineup, have offensive firepower and defensive tenacity, backcourt experience and frontcourt athleticism. Finding the exact weakness to shear and exploit will require an exact approach.
“Their average height is taller than anyone we’ve got,” BNL coach Jeff Hein said. “They put so much pressure on you, they’re so aggressive. They really like to play fast, and they just keep throwing athletes at you. They’re hard to match up with, long and lanky. They definitely have talent.”
Reitz has flourished under new coach Austin Brooks, who took over for successful veteran Michael Adams (457 wins in 32 seasons overall). The Panthers, who have started strong despite playing only one home game so far this season, will feature 6-3 senior guard Isaac Higgs (22.3 points), 6-5 senior forward Jayden Sanders (13.0 points, 6.3 boards) and point guard Will Kirkland (13 points, 7.3 assists), plus promising 6-6 freshman Braylen Langley.
Adams utilized a constant press-and-trap scheme during his tenure, and Reitz has continued some of that aggressive approach while allowing fewer than 40 points in back-to-back wins.
“If anything, they’re more aggressive,” Hein said. “They’ve evolved into something that’s kind of scary, with that intensity on defense. We can’t be scared. We’ll have to play.”
“Coach Adams is a great coach and had a lot of success here at Reitz,” Brooks said. “We have changed every aspect, due to our coaching styles being completely different. Adams ran set plays and we run continuous offense, we want to spray the ball out on misses and makes and get out in transition. We take advantage of the defensive breakdowns and look to get down hill and create a play for one another.”
BNL has potential answers, with senior Colten Leach (21.5 points, 10.4 rebounds with five double-doubles) and senior Colton Staggs (10.8) leading the offense. What the Stars have discovered is they are more formidable with balance (with Kaedyn Bennett or Noah Godlevske providing a third option) than with Leach’s sensational individual performance (a career-high 41 points in a loss to Mooresville).
That got pointed out during the latest road victory at Martinsville. Leach and Staggs had 19 each (plus Leach collected a career-high 16 boards) and Godlevske fired in 14 during the 60-53 conquest of the Artesians.
“Coach Hein has always done a great job of preparing his teams and getting them to compete at a high level,” Brooks said. “They are very disciplined and have players who can really score and defend.”
“We made some plays, shot the ball fairly well,” Hein said. “That always helps. We’ve got more weapons out there, five kids on the floor that are a threat. When you have that, it opens some lanes.”
Reitz won the last meeting, a 64-55 home triumph during the 2020-21 campaign. Owen Dease had 14 points, Ethan Higgs added 13, and the Panthers hit 26 of 36 free throws to win that one. Kooper Staley had 17 and Ben Cosner 13 for BNL. Last year’s game was postponed and not rescheduled.
BNL at EVANSVILLE REITZ
When: Friday, 8 p.m.
Records: BNL 4-3; Evansville Reitz 6-1
Sagarin ratings: BNL 76.28; Evansville Reitz 75.09
Last meeting: During the 2020-21 season, the Panthers conquered the Stars 64-55 at Reitz. Owen Dease had 14 points for Reitz, while Kooper Staley had 17 for BNL.
Previous game story: Stars solve cube, Reitz draws the line
Game notes: Reitz has won four of the last five meetings. New Reitz coach Austin Brooks previously coached at Evansville Day and Boonville.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Kaedyn Bennett 6-2 Sr.
F – Colten Leach 6-2 Sr.
G – Colton Staggs 6-0 Sr.
G – Trace Rynders 5-9 Jr.
G – Noah Godlevske 5-8 Jr.
Evansville Reitz Panthers
F – Jayden Sanders 6-5 Sr.
F – Braylen Langley 6-6 Fr.
C – Harlen Summers 6-5 Jr.
G – Isaac Higgs 6-3 Sr.
G – Will Kirkland 5-10 Sr.
