By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Murmurs were rippling through BNL Fieldhouse. Of all the heavy emotions that drape over seniors during their final home game, worrying and stressing about winning is not supposed to be one of them. Tears are reserved for hugs and farewells, not for the sting of defeat.
Yet in the swirling midst of all the sentiment and celebrations, the beloved were in a battle, and the smiles had vanished. Angst bubbled like lava in a volcano. Then came the eruption, and relief swept through Bedford North Lawrence, from the concerned team sideline to the throng that came to send off the honorees on Senior Day in style.
Appropriately, the two senior captains were the stars. Chloe Spreen donned a superhero’s cape, Madisyn Bailey stroked shots, and the No.11 Stars concluded the regular season with a tough 57-41 victory over Class A No.2 Borden on Saturday afternoon. The final margin was some injustice, because BNL (17-4) had to sweat when the Braves turned up the heat.
Spreen, in Miss Basketball mode, exploded for 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Bailey bombed her way to 18 points and 9 boards, powering the Stars past a stubborn, nothing-to-lose opponent that came close to crashing the party. With a sudden surge in the third quarter, Borden went from sacrificial lamb to roaring lion, taking a lead and causing all the shivering and tension in the stands.
On the court, the anxiety was far less. Spreen and Bailey insisted they had things under control, although they could have cast a wink of reassurance toward the faithful. Rather than a flutter an eyelash, they gave the Braves the death stare. Not here, not during their senior salute.
Trailing 30-29, BNL went ballistic. Bailey started an 11-0 surge with a clutch trey from the top of the key (the fourth shot in the possession after Spreen crashed the glass for multiple chances). Miley Sherrill splashed a 3-pointer off an other Spreen pass, and Spreen glided to a 12-footer in the paint. When Trinidy Bailey converted a steal into a layup, the damage was irreparable.
“I was never really worried,” Madisyn said. “I knew we would get it together and pull it out, no matter how it looked.”
Well, it looked a little awkward. Borden (19-4) trailed 22-14 at the half, then started the third quarter with four straight treys, three by sophomore guard A.J. Mallard during a nuclear blast that put the Braves in front. This from a team that didn’t have a field goal until 37 seconds remained in the first quarter.
Another deep Mallard jumper got Borden within 42-36, then Spreen drilled back-to-back threes from uncharted territory in both far corners. Daggers, those were, as the Stars pulled away.
“That’s what seniors and captains should do,” BNL coach Jeff Allen said. “We responded when we needed to. And some other kids started to relax. We got some hustle plays that we weren’t getting earlier.”
BNL threatened to bury Borden in quick fashion. With all four seniors (Spreen and Bailey, plus Bella Jackson and Haleigh Canada) joining Sherrill in the tradition-based starting lineup, the Stars crackled to a 13-3 lead in seven minutes. But when the Braves switched to a 1-3-1 zone trap, which Borden coach Matt Vick indicated was their best stance, BNL stalled and tentatively ground to an offensive standstill. Mallard scored in transition and dropped a corner trey, setting the tone for the rest of the half. Then came the third-quarter slap in the face.
“I knew we would come back,” Spreen said. “We got it figured out. Our defense was good, we just had to get stops and score off that, especially in transition before the zone got to us.”
“There were three possessions that determined the game,” Vick said of the vintage and decisive run. “Against a really good team like them, it digs you a hole. Very proud of our effort. Our big thing was about competing, staying in this game, getting some confidence. I know it was a 16-point win for them, but it wasn’t a 16-point game.”
Mallard was the reason it was closer than expected. She scored 22 points, including five 3-pointers. The rest of the Braves combined for only six baskets.
“There’s days she’s really on,” Vick said. “Today was one of those. There are days she’s as cold as ice. She shot the ball well.”
Spreen was splendid, hitting 10 of 17 shots and totaling 17 points in the second half, when it became necessary. Bailey had four treys. Sherrill finished with 8 points, and Trinidy Bailey accounted for the other four.
“Spreen is just pretty good,” Vick said. “She hit that deep three in the corner, and I just looked at our coaches, like ‘What do you do?’ She’s just so smooth. It’s poetic watching her play. If she wants her spot, she gets her spot and goes to work.”
BNL handled the strain of the pregame introductions. It was the in-game stress (particularly 9 turnovers in the first half) that was more of a problem.
“There were some senior nerves,” Allen said. “That’s to be expected. There’s a lot going on in their heads today.” And Spreen agreed. “It was an emotional day for all of us,” she said.
BNL will now shift focus to the postseason, preparing to face New Albany in the first round of the Class 4A sectional at Floyd Central on Wednesday.
BORDEN BRAVES (41)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
3 Ava Wheeler, f 1-2 2-7 1-2 2 0 6
22 Emma Hart, f 0-1 1-5 0-0 9 4 2
2 Riley Rarick, g 1-5 3-9 4-4 2 4 11
11 A.J. Mallard, g 5-11 7-19 3-6 4 3 22
1 Reagan Loy, g 0-0 0-1 0-0 3 3 0
21 Paityn Fisk 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 7-19 13-41 8-12 22 14 41
BEDFORD NL STARS (57)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
2 Chloe Spreen, f 3-6 10-17 4-7 10 3 27
22 Miley Sherrill, f 1-2 3-5 1-2 2 2 8
20 Bella Jackson, f 0-0 0-1 0-2 1 1 0
24 Madisyn Bailey, g 4-6 5-9 4-4 9 4 18
11 Haleigh Canada, g 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 0
12 Tori Nikirk 0-2 0-3 0-0 0 3 0
32 Trinidy Bailey 0-2 1-3 2-2 4 1 4
23 Katie Godlevske 0-2 0-3 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 8-20 19-40 11-17 32 15 57
Borden 5 9 19 8 – 41
Bedford NL 13 9 18 17 – 57
Turnovers – Borden 14, BNL 11
Field goal percentage – Borden 13-41 (.317); BNL 19-40 (.475)
Free throw percentage – Borden 8-12 (.667); BNL 11-17 (.647)
