By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Remember the old-time classic game Connect 4? The object was, as the name suggests, connecting four pieces in a row on the board, making sure to block the opponent from completing a foursome at the same time. Simple in design, complex in strategy.
Center Grove has taken that to the next level. The Trojans play Connect 5, a defensive court game, with the object to keep the opponent from scoring. Simple in strategy, complex in design. Devastating in practice.
Some numbers can be construed to fit a narrative, statistics can be manipulated to support a falsehood. These don’t lie. The No.9 Trojans (22-4) are one of the state’s best defensive units, which will be put to the ultimate test when they face No.7 Bedford North Lawrence (24-3) in the Class 4A semistate semifinal at Southport on Saturday morning.
Here are the raw numbers. Center Grove allows only 34.0 points per game, which ranks 21st in the state (third in 4A). During its current 18-game winning streak, that average has dropped to 30.0. In the four games of the state tournament, the Trojans are allowing 31.0, and only one (Franklin in overtime) got about 40. Only three teams have cracked 40 during the winning streak. Only one opponent (Hamilton Southeastern) got to 50 (in overtime) all year.
That stands in stark contrast to BNL’s offensive explosiveness, with the Stars ranked sixth in the state in scoring (62.8, which includes a double-digit number of games that finished with a running clock, cutting down on second-half opportunities). That’s the clear battle line for this semistate collision.
“We definitely try to make teams earn it,” Center Grove coach Kevin Stuckmeyer said. “It’s a matter of working on being connected and playing a good team defense. It’s not one person locking down, it’s the idea of doing it together. It’s the mindset of not making things easy for people.
“Then it’s like the old Bob Knight saying, which team makes the most mistakes is going to lose. You’re trying not to be the one that does that.”
On the flip side, Center Grove averages only 49.4 points, with only one scorer (junior Audrey Annee at 13.0) hitting double figures consistently. But the Trojans counter that with balance, with four other starters all contributing six points. On any given day, somebody (senior guard Ella Hobson, 6-3 junior Rachel Wirts, junior Aubrie Booker or senior Savanna Bischoff) is capable of doing unexpected damage.
“In the past we’ve had a person who was the focal point, a person who could score it pretty well,” Stuckmeyer said. “We haven’t really had that, but it’s been beneficial because we’ve had more balance. You can’t just focus on that one person.
“At times, it can be a detriment because you don’t know who will go get that. Audrey has hit some big shots for us, but the others have done it enough in certain games. It comes back to matchups. We have girls that want to win, that understand what it takes to win.”
Everything connected for Center Grove following its last loss, a 38-34 road setback on Nov. 29. Since that point, rather than settling for another 13-10 season (which was last year’s finish), the Trojans shifted from pedestrian to runaway train.
“Early on, we played a lot of road games and a tough schedule, but we were stuck in the mud from last year,” Stuckmeyer said. “Having a decent season, but not ready to take the next step. Franklin beat us, and it was gut-check time for us, to realize something had to change if we wanted this to be a different year.
“You have to credit our girls for looking within themselves, holding themselves accountable, coming together. Our camaraderie has been different since that game, and we started to build confidence. Winning becomes a habit.”
In order to keep the streak going, the Trojans will have to deal with BNL’s prolific duo of senior guard Karsyn Norman (16.5 points, 4.4 assists) and Chloe Spreen (18.7 points, 5.4 rebounds). They can’t forget about senior Mallory Pride (11.0 points, 7.1 boards) in the interior. They can’t, with an offense that thrives in lower-scoring battles, turn the ball over against a BNL defense that forces 19.7 turnovers per game.
“BNL has two really good basketball players, and you’re not going to stop them,” Stuckmeyer said. “You make them earn it.
“We can’t let them speed us up, with their athleticism and the way they play defense. They try to get people out of character. We have to keep them out of transition, make them earn what they get. Spreen and Norman will make some. Most games come down to not turning it over and rebounding. If they don’t turn you over, they speed you up and get you on your heels.”
The winner will face either Ben Davis (18-9) or Lawrence North (18-9) in the semistate championship on Saturday night. The victor will advance to the one-game state final (facing the survivor from the northern semistate at Huntington North) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Feb. 25.
CLASS 4A SEMISTATE
Saturday at Southport
CENTER GROVE vs. BNL
When: 10 a.m.
Records: Center Grove 22-4 (ranked No.9); BNL 24-3 (ranked No.7)
Sagarin ratings: Center Grove 94.34; BNL 100.68
Last meeting: In the 2019 regional semifinal at BNL, the Stars prevailed 51-33. Jorie Allen had 21 points and 16 rebounds for BNL. Ella Thompson had 11 points for Center Grove.
Game notes: BNL has won six semistate titles, the last in 2014. Center Grove won its only semistate in 1996.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Chloe Spreen 5-9 Jr.
F – Mallory Pride 5-8 Sr.
G – Madisyn Bailey 5-8 Jr.
G – Karsyn Norman 5-6 Sr.
G – Emma Brown 5-5 Sr.
Center Grove Trojans
F – Audrey Annee 5-9 Jr.
F – Savanna Bischoff 5-9 Sr.
C – Rachel Wirts 6-3 Jr.
G – Ella Hobson 5-6 Sr.
G – Aubrie Booker 5-8 Jr.
