By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Swynn Jackson, the most important player on the court for short-handed Fort Wayne Northrop, ran off the court to vomit in a trash can. Bedford North Lawrence had the body language and energy of the flu hangover. Doctor, doctor, give me the news. Who would survive a battle of attrition?
The Bruins did, and the Stars are still sick, at least on the offensive end, especially after absorbing another setback.
After a solid start, BNL crumpled into an unmade bed of missed shots and turnovers as Northrop pulled away for a 60-37 victory. Jackson, the smooth facilitator for the Bruins, scored 19 points and set up her teammates for open looks as Northrop (9-2) won its first visit to BNL Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.
BNL (4-7) got off to a solid start, but coughed up a quick lead with a devastating second quarter. The Bruins, playing without absent leading scorer Khala Williams-Thomas, went on a 18-1 run and were never threatened.
Without Williams-Thomas (who could not make the lengthy trip), Northrop found other options. Miley Wareing had 13 points and 9 rebounds, Brilee Day added 11 points, and Alivia Rice swallowed up 12 rebounds. BNL had no advantage in any statistical category.
“These girls have played against each other or with each other for a long period of time,” Northrop coach Katie Jackson said. “Our biggest focus was, when you’re facing adversity, you’re part of something that’s bigger than yourself. When you do that, you pull together. Not having her points and rebounds, someone else had to step up and take her place.”
Jackson, the daughter of the coach, was that someone. She was slick at penetrating and dishing, she grabbed five offensive rebounds to keep her team engaged. She was obviously ill, but her play did not reflect that.
“She’s a multi-faceted kid,” coach Jackson said. “The last few years she’s been the passer. Now she knows to find the open kid. She’s very unselfish and not afraid to pass, and she knows when it’s time to shoot or score.”
The Stars looked like they had found an offensive sure during the first five minutes. Tori Nikirk popped a trey and set up Makaya Jackson for a layup, and Trinidy Bailey powered through traffic for a 3-point play and 10-7 lead. Then the virus struck again. BNL made only one shot the rest of the half, had six turnovers in the second quarter, and dropped back 28-14.
Northrop opened the third quarter with the first 10 points. Wareing scored off a rebound and converted an inbound lob for a bucket, Jackson scissored through the defense for a layup, and Northrop was clear of any danger. The Bruins were salty at the line, hitting only 11 of 24, but the rest was sweet.
The Stars shot a dismal 14 of 52 from the floor, missed layups and airballs among that total. Blame some of that on illness fatigue, but not all of it.
“It was just tough, a little bit lack of focus, a little bit of fundamental stuff,” BNL coach Greg Burton said,. “We’re good at some difficult things, and we’re poor at some basic things. We have to clean it up.
“I’m not upset with the fight,. We’ve been sick a lot this week. You never want to lose, but the fight was there.”
BNL didn’t produce a double-digit scorer. Jackson had 8 points and Katie Godlevske came off the bench to total 7.
Northrop chiseled out a huge 45-28 rebounding edge.
“Alivia Rice is one of the best offensive rebounders I have ever seen at her size,” Jackson said. “She has a natural nose for the ball. She’s like our (Dennis) Rodman. She pursues the ball. If it’s a 50-50 ball, my money is on her to get it.”
BNL will return to action in the Donna Cheatham Classic at Scottsburg on Dec. 27.
FORT WAYNE NORTHROP BRUINS (60)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
23 Miley Wareing, f 0-0 4-8 5-8 9 3 13
25 Swynn Jackson, f 2-4 7-13 3-4 5 3 19
3 Brilee Day, g 2-4 4-8 1-4 5 3 11
2 Alivia Rice, g 0-5 2-7 1-4 12 0 5
14 Marion Wyss, g 1-5 1-5 1-2 3 2 4
11 Niamyah Anderson 0-3 3-7 0-2 5 2 6
15 Jersey Webb 0-0 1-1 0-0 1 0 2
32 Laila Lockett 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Totals 5-21 22-49 11-24 45 13 60
BEDFORD NL STARS (37)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
22 Miley Sherrill, f 1-4 2-13 0-0 2 2 5
30 Makaya Jackson, f 0-0 4-5 0-0 4 3 8
32 Trinidy Bailey, g 1-3 2-8 1-1 3 1 6
12 Tori Nikirk, g 1-4 1-5 0-0 4 0 3
21 Jordynn Blann, g 0-1 1-5 2-4 1 2 4
23 Katie Godlevske 1-5 3-10 0-0 3 2 7
20 Paige Burton 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
24 Elise Williams 0-0 0-1 2-2 2 1 2
44 Sammie Nusbaum 0-2 1-4 0-1 1 2 2
11 Trinity Schmeichel 0-0 0-0 0-2 1 1 0
50 Harryson Hayes 0-0 0-0 0-2 3 1 0
31 Elahdy Ray 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
40 Bella Warren 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 4-19 14-52 5-11 28 15 37
FW Northrop 15 13 17 15 – 60
Bedford NL 10 4 6 17 – 37
Turnovers – FW Northrop 13, BNL 14
Field goal percentage – FW Northrop 22-49 (.449); BNL 14-52 (.269)
Free throw percentage – FW Northrop 11-24 (.458); BNL 5-11 (.455)
