By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Bedford North Lawrence’s Chloe Spreen, already one of the coveted recruits in the state before leading the Stars to the Class 4A state championship, has decided on her future home. It should be a sweet one, where the skies are so blue, where the tide is Crimson.
Spreen, the leading candidate for the 2024 Miss Basketball award, chose the University of Alabama as her college destination. After receiving multiple offers from Division I programs across the nation, she’s headed to the Southeastern Conference.
Putting her final choice in Forrest Gump vernacular – Al-a-BAM-a! The emphasis for Spreen was on the comfort with the program.
“They supported me through this whole process very well,” Spreen said. “It’s a place I felt valued and wanted. I want to be a part of something I can grow into. But it was the people and the family base of it, it was the best fit for me.”
Offers from major programs started to pour in when Spreen was in junior high. The relief level to make the decision is as satisfying as the excitement about the choice.
“It’s a stressful process,” Spreen said. “It got overwhelming. Recruitment is good, it has it’s bad moments, but it’s awesome at the same time. It was a fun ride, growing relationships with coaches and learning about different places.
“Being committed is great. I was over it. I feel a lot of relief. The relief is real, for sure. I’ve worked for this my whole life, so finding that one place, and being wanted, and being happy about it, is the best feeling ever.”
Spreen has been a top recruiting target since her arrival at BNL. She has already scored 1,358 career points (fifth on the program’s list), and she averaged 19.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season for the state champions. She has been selected to the Indiana Junior All-Stars and was named the state Player of the Year by Maxpreps. She was also named to the Supreme 15 All-State team by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
She was at her best during the final stages of BNL’s postseason run, scoring 26 points against Center Grove in the semistate semifinal, 20 against Lawrence North in the semistate final, and 20 against Fishers in the state championship clash. Spreen exploded for a career-high 35 points against Bloomington South, and she totaled 30 when she joined the school’s 1,000-point club during a victory over New Albany.
“I’m really happy that Chloe has made her decision and the fact she is so excited about her choice,” BNL coach Jeff Allen said. “It’s been fun watching her continued development as a Lady Star, and I know she will be a great student-athlete at Alabama.”
Alabama, coached by Kristy Curry, went 20-11 last season, falling to Baylor in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide went 9-7 in the SEC, a league that includes defending national champion LSU and powerhouse South Carolina.
“The college level will be a faster pace, more physical, especially in the SEC,” Spreen said. “I’ll have to grow my game, get stronger. I’m looking forward to it and to getting better.”
