By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – For the Hoosier Hysteria junkie, Charles E. Meyer Gymnasium is a required stop on the tour of the state’s best basketball palaces. Scottsburg history oozes from the hardwood, adorns the lobby walls. There’s even a Bedford North Lawrence connection in its past, as Damon Bailey started his legendary career on that fabled court with a 20-point night in his debut performance.
The gym’s nickname is one of the best: the Pressure Cooker. And it fits. Pressure cookers work by the concept of, inside a tightly sealed container, heating water that eventually boils into steam. Since the steam cannot escape, it collects above the food. As the temperature rises, pressure builds.
BNL is going to find that out on Saturday night. The heat will be on.
The Stars will conclude their first double weekend of the season with their first trip to Scottsburg in 13 years, and one of southern Indiana’s best teams awaits. The Warriors, 2-0 and ranked No.3 in Class 3A as they head to Charlestown on Friday, are talented and experienced, looking to make another deep postseason run after going 22-6 and falling to Guerin Catholic in the semistate final last year.
Four senior starters, all of them 6-3 or taller, will present a huge problem – pun intended – for the Stars, who will be coming off the emotional rivalry clash with Bloomington South.
“They’re very good,” BNL coach Kurt Godlevske said. “They look like a small-college team with their size, the way they move the ball, how aggressive they are on offense. On defense, they swallow up any space on the floor with their length, make it very difficult to even get shots.
“It will be a tough game, one I’m looking forward to, one the kids are looking forward to. It will be a tough place to play.”
Scottsburg will feature 6-3 guard Kody Clancy (28.5 points per game), 6-9 forward Wyatt Zellers (15.5) and 6-6 forward Jack Miller (14.0). All three are on the recruiting radar of D-2 college programs. And with 6-4 wing Caden Richardson on the court, there’s not much space for anyone else.
“I don’t know where that came from,” said Scottsburg coach Eric Richardson, a 1993 alum who was in attendance for the Bailey breakout. “Traditionally at Scottsburg, we’ve never had a lot of size. Our senior group has played a lot of basketball together. Most of them have started since they were sophomores. We have a lot of experience on the court. They’re gym rats, and it’s paying off for them.”
If the Warriors are feeling pressure from any preseason expectations, they haven’t shown it thus far. They blew out Austin (86-35) in their opener, then crushed Eastern Pekin (blasting to a 27-1 lead after one quarter before coasting to a 70-26 triumph).
“We had a lot of attention last year, going to the semistate final, and now some of the polls have us ranked pretty high,” Richardson said. “The main focus for us is taking it one day at a time, not getting caught up in the projections or what people think. We have to really enjoy the process.”
BNL won the last meeting in 2020 during the Danny Bush Classic at BNL. Ben Cosner scored 20 points as the Stars prevailed 67-58. Scottsburg’s last win in the series was a 92-76 overtime victory in 2008.
BNL at SCOTTSBURG
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: BNL 1-0 (vs. Bloomington South on Friday); Scottsburg 2-0, ranked No.3 in Class 3A (at Charlestown on Friday)
Last meeting: BNL conquered the Warriors 67-58 during the Danny Bush Classic in 2020. Ben Cosner had 20 points and Colten Leach added 16 for the Stars. Treyton Owens had 22 points and Hayden Cutter totaled 20 for Scottsburg.
Previous game story: Stars hit the play button
Game notes: BNL leads the series 17-2. Scottsburg’s last win was a 92-76 overtime triumph in 2008. BNL’s last appearance at Scottsburg came in 2010.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Patric Matson 6-3 Jr.
F – Logan Miracle 6-4 Jr.
G – Maddox Ray 5-11 Sr.
G – Noah Godlevske 5-11 Sr.
G – Trace Rynders 5-11 Sr.
Scottsburg Warriors
F – Jack Miller 6-6 Sr.
F – Wyatt Zellers 6-9 Sr.
F – Caden Richardson 6-4 Sr.
G – Kody Clancy 6-3 Sr.
G – Dare Bowles 5-7 Jr.
