By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – One of the oldest programs in Indiana basketball history will make its first appearance in BNL Fieldhouse.
Crawfordsville can trace its first-team roots back to 1900, just a few years after James Naismith invented the sport in 1891 as a winter distraction between football and baseball, before Hoosiers adopted and claimed the game for their identity. Crawfordsville even won the first state high school tournament in 1911 at Indiana University.
So it’s appropriate for the school to sport the nickname Athenians, a reference to ancient Greece. In Hoosier Hysteria terms, it’s the among the oldest of civilizations. Today’s modern version will visit BNL for a Saturday afternoon matinee.
Crawfordsville (7-7) is coming off a win over Western Boone on Thursday night, ending a three-game skid with a 52-45 triumph. While the Athenians lack individual star power, with only one scorer in double figures, they have balance and multiple options.
“We are coming off some games where we have struggled from the field,” Crawfordsville coach David Pierce said. “Hopefully the time we have spent shooting will improve our percentages.”
Senior forward Ethan McLemore leads the team in scoring at 10.0, while junior Alec Saidan adds 9.8 plus 5.4 boards. The Athenians also count on production from guards Tyson Fuller (8.1) and Drake Burris (7.6). Pierce spotlighted the backcourt as the focal point.
“We are going to have to limit possessions for BNL and not turn the ball over,” Pierce said. “If we keep our turnovers under 10 and shoot well from the outside, we will give ourselves a chance to compete.”
BNL, which ended its brief two-game skid with the 68-46 victory over Floyd Central, will counter with junior wing Patric Matson (19.6) and senior Noah Godlevske (15.1). Matson had a career-high 27 points and Logan Miracle added a career-best 17 against Floyd, and the Stars shot a crisp 60 percent.
“We need to put back-to-back games together, playing the way we should,” BNL coach Kurt Godlevske said. “That’s going to be the challenge. We’ve done the job once, now we have to do it twice.
“They’ve got some kids that can make plays. We don’t want to give them anything easy, but we’re going to get after them.”
CRAWFORDSVILLE at BNL
When: Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Records: Crawfordsville 7-7; BNL 11-5
Sagarin ratings: Crawfordsville 56.13; BNL 76.63
Last meeting: This is the first game between the programs.
Game notes: Crawfordsville won the first Indiana high school basketball tournament in 1911, beating rival Lebanon in the final at Indiana University. The program dates back to 1900.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Patric Matson 6-3 Jr.
F – Logan Miracle 6-4 Jr.
G – Noah Godlevske 5-11 Sr.
G – Trace Rynders 5-11 Sr.
G – Maddox Ray 5-11 Sr.
Crawfordsville Athenians
F – Alec Saidan 6-4 Jr.
F – Ethan McLemore 6-1 Sr.
G – Kaden Patton 6-0 Sr.
G – Drake Burris 5-10 Sr.
G – Tyson Fuller 5-11 Sr.
