By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
MOORESVILLE – Winning is the gift that keeps on giving, and this one was a Cousin Eddie special – real nice. Bedford North Lawrence will go into its Christmas vacation with a three-game streak and more evidence of a team coming of age.
After the offense did the heavy lifting for two straight games, BNL’s defense and last-minute clutch mode powered the Stars to a first-ever road victory over Mooresville on Wednesday night. The holiday will be merry indeed following a 55-51 triumph.
Patric Matson scored 22 points and BNL made critical free throws during the final 50 seconds to conquer the Pioneers (2-6). Noah Godlevske added 18 points, and the Stars moved to 4-2 for the first time in four years and for only the third time in the last 13 seasons.
BNL exploded to a 10-2 start but could never pull away. Mooresville got within a single possession four times in the second half but could never pull even, thanks to big-time baskets by Matson in the fourth quarter and big-moment foul shots.
“We’re starting to learn how to win these tough games,” BNL coach Kurt Godlevske said. And that formula is pretty basic – start fast, protect the ball, defend and execute late. Works every time.
“I thought we did a tremendous job, just to hold them to what we did. We struggled, as hard as they defended us, but our kids were patient, much more composed.“
The quick getaway included two Godlevske bombs and two Matson buckets, highlighted by a lob that he gathered at rim level. His steal set up the second Godlevske trey, and his own 3-pointer kept BNL’s momentum. Quincy Pickett’s steal set up an Isaiah Sasser hoop as the Stars powered to a 16-8 lead.
“The first four minutes set the tone,” coach Godlevske said. “We couldn’t afford to come out flat. The kids just don’t know anything different other than playing hard.”
BNL got to halftime with a 26-19 lead as Matson swooped through the lane and dropped in a high scoop off the glass, Godlevske dropped a corner trey, and Matson added a 15-footer from the wing. The Pioneers had 8 first-half turnovers and stayed close because all eight of their second-quarter points came at the line.
The second half was an exchange of surges and counters. Mooresville moved within 26-23 when Matson answered with two jumpers and Logan Miracle worked free for a layup off a Godlevske pass. The Pioneers pushed back within 34-32, and BNL scored eight straight points. Godlevske got free in transition off a turnover for a wide-open bomb, and he started the fourth quarter with a back-cut for a three-point play and the only double-digit lead at 42-32.
The Stars owned a 48-40 lead when Mooresville made its final charge. A.J. DeFur tracked down his own missed trey for a hustling putback, Tyrone Elmore turned a steal into a transition slam, and Chris Thompson muscled through the lane for a 50-46 difference. After Trace Rynders made two at the line, Brevon Burns swished a deep-corner jumper to get the Pioneers to 52-49 with 33.9 seconds left.
After a Godlevske free throw, Elmore scored in the post, and it was 53-51 with 13 seconds left. BNL solved the Mooresville press and got Pickett to the line with 5.1 remaining. He had not made a shot all night, and had missed his only two previous free throws this season, but he was perfect on both to secure the win.
Matson was a mid-range master, going 10 of 18 from the floor. His smoothness and ability to get defenders off their feet was impressive.
“They were falling for the pump fakes,” he said. “If they were going to do it once, they would do it twice.”
“He made play after play for us,” Godlevske said. “It’s comforting to know we have a player that can do those things. We can be creative and use him in a lot of ways.”
Noah Godlevske finished with four treys en route to his point total. Miracle had a game-high 8 rebounds, seven in the second half. “Our rebounding in the second half was what carried us,” coach Godlevske said. His gift to his team for their performance? “An extra day off,” he said. Real nice.
Burns led the Pioneers with 16 points, including four 3s (from a 6-6 post player). DeFur totaled 15 and Elmore added 12.
The Stars will be idle until Jan. 2, when they host Martinsville to begin a nine-game month.
BEDFORD NL STARS (55)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
10 Patric Matson, f 1-4 10-18 1-2 5 4 22
31 Logan Miracle, f 0-0 2-3 0-1 8 0 4
11 Noah Godlevske, g 4-4 5-10 4-5 3 1 18
1 Trace Rynders, g 0-1 1-3 2-2 1 2 4
12 Maddox Ray, g 0-0 0-1 0-0 2 3 0
22 Isaiah Sasser 0-0 1-2 1-2 1 2 3
3 Quincy Pickett 0-2 0-4 2-2 1 1 2
5 Dax Short 0-0 0-0 2-3 0 1 2
Totals 5-11 19-40 12-17 24 15 55
MOORESVILLE PIONEERS (51)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
10 A.J. DeFur, f 1-7 3-9 8-8 5 0 15
1 Brevon Burns, f 4-5 6-9 0-0 7 4 16
4 Tyrone Elmore, g 0-0 5-6 2-4 2 4 12
5 Chris Thompson, g 0-3 1-4 0-0 1 3 2
0 Bradley Robbins 0-0 0-4 2-2 4 0 2
13 Brenton Williams 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
2 Alec Dennis 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 4 0
14 Dre Martin 0-2 1-5 2-3 4 1 4
Totals 5-17 16-38 14-17 24 16 51
Bedford NL 16 10 13 16 – 55
Mooresville 11 8 13 19 – 51
Turnovers – BNL 8, Mooresville 9
Field goal percentage – BNL 19-40 (.475); Mooresville 16-38 (.421)
Free throw percentage – BNL 12-17 (.706); Mooresville 14-17 (.824)
