By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
EVANSVILLE – What started as a one-on-one, make-it-take-it playground showdown between two deadeye shooters from the long-distance line was decided by an and-one and perfection at the foul line. Bryson Chapman couldn’t miss, Sena Gore refused to miss, and Bedford North Lawrence missed a chance to end a historic losing streak.
Chapman’s sensational start and Gore’s clutch finish powered Evansville North to a 57-53 victory over the Stars on Saturday night. The Huskies fended off an electric performance by BNL star Patric Matson, who matched his season high with 31 points, with a textbook final minute, while the Stars wrote a disheartening chapter of program history.
After stroking his first five treys during an early one-man show, Chapman’s 3-point play with 49.9 seconds left was the ultimate difference, creating two-possession separation, and Gore made it count with four ice-water free throws to keep BNL at bay. Chapman finished with 26 points for North (10-11) while the Stars (8-11) suffered their sixth consecutive setback, the longest in the program’s 51 seasons, during the final road trip of the regular season.
BNL had two chances inside of two minutes to take the lead but failed to convert. Clinging to a 48-47 advantage, the Huskies executed a sideline out-of-bounds set for the biggest bucket. Chapman was left alone in the paint, with a smaller defender, and the lob inside was on target as Chapman collected, scored over contact and converted a 3-point play.
“We thought we had the advantage there,” North coach Jason Roach said. “We knew if we could get him the ball, good things would happen.”
The Stars battled back with highlight plays. The first was a monster dunk by Logan Miracle, who gathered a Matson pass for a two-handed jam with 37.2 left. The next was a jaw-dropping drive and vicious slam by Matson in traffic with 20.9 left. But after each thunderous attack on the rim. Gore had the quiet answer, making free throws to offset the dunks. The final dagger came with 4.6 seconds left, when the Huskies broke Carson Cashmer free for a wide-open layup to clinch it.
Chapman did most of his work early. His 5-for-5 barrage from long range got North in front, and he accounted for all of North’s 17 first-quarter points. BNL finally chased him off the 3-line, and Matson capped his outrageous first half (7 of 8 shooting, 19 points) as the Stars surged to a 29-25 lead.
North figured out how to get other scorers involved in the second half. T.J. Michel hit two treys, while Cashmer scored twice off second chances as the Huskies growled to a 44-40 lead.
“In the second half, we didn’t put as much pressure on the ball as we did in the first and second quarters,” BNL coach Kurt Godlevske said. “That hurt us. Two of their shooters got free and made some big shots.”
BNL wasted one of its better offensive efforts since the slump started. The Stars hit 21 of 34 shots, committed only 10 turnovers. Matson had his best scoring night since netting 31 against Mitchell, and Miracle celebrated his birthday with 12 points while hitting 6 of 7 shots.
“That’s what we’ve been looking for over the last month,” Godlevske said. “We tested the waters and didn’t force. It was the first time we played and read, took what was given to us. It just so happened our guys did a good job of finding Patric. It was the best we’ve played in a month, so it was a big step at the right time.
“This was a step in the right direction, even though the outcome was not a positive one. I’d much rather see us play like we did tonight, than the past three weeks. We’ll win if we continue to play like that.”
In addition to the Chapman noise, Cashmer totaled 12 points while Gore finished with 9. BNL could not get stops when it needed them as North grabbed five offensive rebounds in the second half. North was also 11 of 11 from the line.
“We haven’t been a great free-throw team,” Roach said. “Sena was knocking them down late, that’s what he does. We don’t win this game without that.
“Their best player resembles our best player. They look alike out there on the court, and they were both playing alike. Bryson came out firing, he put us on his back in the first half. Matson is one heck of a player. He’s a tough player to guard.”
BNL will learn its postseason fate when the IHSAA announces the sectional pairings on Sunday. The Stars will return home to face Mooresville on Tuesday.
BEDFORD NL STARS (53)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
5 Dax Short, f 0-0 0-1 2-2 2 4 2
22 Isaiah Sasser, f 1-1 2-2 0-1 0 2 5
31 Logan Miracle, c 0-0 6-7 0-0 4 2 12
10 Patric Matson, g 4-5 12-17 3-3 5 2 31
3 Quincy Pickett, g 0-4 0-5 0-0 2 0 0
12 Jacob Ritter 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
4 Parker Kern 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 3 3
Totals 6-12 21-34 5-6 16 14 53
EVANSVILLE NORTH HUSKIES (57)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
30 Bryson Chapman, f 5-7 8-12 5-5 5 0 26
23 Carson Cashmer, f 2-4 5-9 0-0 6 1 12
33 Kellen English, c 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
11 Seab Johnson 0-3 0-4 2-2 1 0 2
3 T.J. Michel, g 2-2 2-2 0-0 0 3 6
1 Sena Gore 1-3 2-4 4-4 0 0 9
45 Lance Smith 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
34 Tyler Musich 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
10 Greg Pieterek 0-0 1-2 0-0 1 2 2
Totals 10-19 18-32 11-11 15 7 57
Bedford NL 16 13 11 13 – 53
Evan. North 17 8 19 13 – 57
Turnovers – BNL 10, Ev. North 8
Field goal percentage – BNL 21-34 (.618); Ev. North 18-32 (.563)
Free throw percentage – BNL 5-6 (.833); Ev. North 11-11 (1.000)
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