By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – After weeks of fretting about shooting, Bedford North Lawrence coach Jeff Allen has flipped the script.
Defense has been a program staple since the big-hair 1980s. It’s been 13 years since the Stars allowed an average of 50 points per game, and this squad is nowhere near that level. But Allen, sensing some mental slippage, has made that end the priority as BNL heads into the final three games of the regular season. And that could be bad news for the next opponent.
The Stars (15-4 overall, 4-1 in the Hoosier Hills Conference) will welcome Floyd Central to BNL Fieldhouse for an interesting Saturday matinee. The Highlanders (12-7, 2-3) are enjoying one of their best seasons since the regional championship in 2010, but they have eerie memories of their last encounter with BNL.
Last season at Floyd, BNL showcased a defensive clinic. The Stars allowed only one field goal in three of the four quarters, forced 28 turnovers, and blasted to a 63-16 triumph. That’s the kind of tone Allen wants to set once again.
“I think our defense has got to be better,” he said. “And the kids are responding to that. We’re going to try to play a little more intense on the defensive side. And that will generate offense for us.
“We want to pressure the basketball where we make them make bad decisions. It’s not necessarily taking the ball away from good players, but making them make bad decisions. Then have good rotations where, if we do get beat on the dribble, we have another player that’s there to help.”
Getting beat off the bounce and allowing an opponent to penetrate into the paint has always been a cardinal sin, since the days when continuous dribbling became legal (in 1909, for the trivia buffs). Today’s modern game, with multiple screens on the ball, has made it more difficult to keep good players from the rim. It takes great communication, anticipation and reaction.
“That’s the evolution of girls basketball,” Allen said. “It has made it tougher. Guarding a good ball screen has always been a difficult thing defensively. It takes a lot of focus.”
BNL averages 9 steals per game (with Madisyn Bailey as the top thief with 3.2). The Stars have forced 20-plus turnovers five times, but they’ve also allowed eight opponents to commit 13 or fewer. That’s the number Allen wants to bump up with increased pressure.
The Highlanders, beginning a four-game road swing to finish the campaign, return four starters from a year ago, so they’re built to better handle the intensity.
“They were younger last year,” Allen said. “They play really hard, their man-to-man is pretty good. They’ve had some good wins (most notably at Silver Creek and the holiday tournament at Richmond), and they’re formidable. They have some length, which is always a problem for us. We’ll try to make it a full-court game and pressure them into bad decisions, continue to build on what we started on Tuesday night.”
BNL’s Chloe Spreen, just nominated as a McDonald’s All-American, leads the Stars at 20.3 points and 7.1 rebounds. Bailey’s career-high 22 points against Columbus East boosted her average back to double figures at 10.5 (plus 4.7 assists), and freshman Miley Sherrill is adding 9.7 points.
The Stars will need a win over Floyd, and a huge Jennings County stumble against East on Jan. 18, to claim a share of the HHC title.
FLOYD CENTRAL at BNL
When: Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Records: Floyd Central 12-7 (2-3 in HHC); BNL 15-4 (4-1 in HHC), ranked No.11 in Class 4A
Sagarin ratings: Floyd Central 79.14, BNL 91.25
Last meeting: Last year at Floyd, the Stars blasted the Highlanders 63-16. Karsyn Norman had 27 points and Madisyn Bailey added 14. Floyd was guilty of 28 turnovers.
Previous game story: Stars hoard the HHC title
Game notes: Floyd Central has not won at BNL since the 2009-10 season. The Highlanders are chasing their first winning season since 2016-17.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Chloe Spreen 5-10 Sr.
F – Miley Sherrill 5-9 Fr.
G – Madisyn Bailey 5-9 Sr.
G – Trinidy Bailey 5-7 So.
G – Tori Nikirk 5-6 Jr.
Floyd Central Highlanders
F – Nora Gibson 6-0 Jr.
F – Elise Coleman 6-0 So.
G – Ava Hausz 5-5 Jr.
G – Carly Fonda 5-10 Jr.
G – Samara Miller 5-7 Jr.
