By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Everyone’s always looking to identify the “next big thing.” What’s the new fad, the latest trend? In basketball, who’s the next superstar? Indiana can create a huge catalog of those, although that list gets considerably shorter when starting it with impact freshmen.
Noah Washington’s reputation preceded him to New Albany. Word on the street was “Wait until you see this kid.” The comparisons started immediately. New Albany has already been through its phenom phase with Romeo Langford, whose arrival hype was unprecedented. Romeo became a one-name legend, leading the Bulldogs to a state championship. The young Washington has quite a shadow to play through.
So far, he’s handling it well. On a team loaded with veteran talent, Washington has fit in and emerged as the scoring leader and late-game hero for the Bulldogs (15-3 and ranked No.7 in Class 4A), who have become a scary offensive force.
Washington, a 6-5 rookie with elder-game skills, leads the Bulldogs at 15.2 points. But he’s hardly the only option. With just a few more points, New Albany would have five starters in double figures, one of the reasons the Bulldogs rank among the state leaders at 69.7 per game.
“They can score in a variety of ways,” BNL coach Kurt Godlevske said. “They have a very carefree approach to the game, they play with a lot of confidence. They force a lot of turnovers and scramble a lot defensively, so they put a lot of pressure on you on both ends of the floor.”
The other New Albany starters are familiar names. Rylan Schrink (14.9) and Chris Lampkins (11.5 plus 6.6 rebounds) are obvious threats, while guards Jordan Treat (9.5) and T.J. Washington (9.3) can get loose if overlooked. But it’s the new kid on the block who will command the most attention.
“He’s very athletic,” Godlevske said. “He has size and range. He can score from the outside and inside. He’s tough to guard. He doesn’t play like a freshman.”
BNL (8-9) needs to end a four-game losing streak. The Stars will feature senior Patric Matson (19.8), senior Logan Miracle (9.2) and senior wing Quincy Pickett (9.4). BNL’s recent slump can be traced to offensive struggles (only 45.8 points per game over the last four).
“BNL is such a well coached team and is always going to be prepared,” New Albany coach Jason Jones said. “Matson is one of best players in the conference and can really score the ball. We expect a difficult game on the road.”
New Albany swept two games from the Stars last season. During the regular-season clash at New Albany, Matson exploded for a career-high 39 points, putting on a shooting clinic while hitting 15 of 18 shots (including 7 treys). But the Bulldogs rallied from a 66-60 deficit in the final minutes as Lampkins totaled 19 points and Schrink added 16.
In the sectional rematch, the same storyline played out. BNL owned the lead in the second half, but the Bulldogs went on a devastating 18-0 run to pull out a 63-61 triumph. Matson and Pickett had 16 points each for BNL, while Schrink had 17 for New Albany.
“For us to compete, we have to be very focused and engaged,” Godlevske said. “On paper, we’ve played a lot of teams very similar to them. We have to shoot the ball well and play well.”
NEW ALBANY at BNL
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: New Albany 15-3 (4-1 in HHC), ranked No.7 in Class 4A; BNL 8-9 (1-4 in HHC)
Sagarin ratings: New Albany 86.83; BNL 75.60
Series: New Albany leads 41-23
Last meeting: Last year, the Bulldogs swept the Stars, winning the regular-season meeting at New Albany 73-71 before edging BNL 63-61 in the first-round sectional clash at Seymour.
Previous game story: Deja vu: New Albany rallies
Game notes: BNL has not lost five straight games since the 2016-17 season. BNL’s 33-point loss to Brownstown was the second worst home defeat in program history. Bloomington South posted a 34-point triumph during the 2005-06 season.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Dax Short 6-1 Jr.
F – Isaiah Sasser 6-0 Sr.
C – Logan Miracle 6-5 Sr.
G – Patric Matson 6-5 Sr.
G – Quincy Pickett 6-3 Sr.
New Albany Bulldogs
F – Noah Washington 6-5 Fr.
F – Chris Lampkins 6-4 Sr.
G – Rylan Schrink 6-3 Sr.
G – T.J. Washington 5-10 Jr.
G – Jordan Treat 6-0 Sr.
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