By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
GALENA – Bedford North Lawrence, the old dog in the sectional, learned a new trick. With their postseason existence threatened, with the opponent barking and snapping, the Stars unleashed a young pup, who proved she could get off the porch and run with the big dogs.
Spurred by perceived disrespect, left open to her own devices, BNL sophomore Trinidy Bailey was the X factor as BNL extended its remarkable sectional winning streak and advanced to another championship game. For the 13th straight time – that’s 91 in dogs years – the Stars will contend for the title.
With Chloe Spreen leading the pack, with Bailey the Younger moving from the shadows to the spotlight with a career performance, the No.14 Stars muzzled No.12 Silver Creek 60-41 in the Sectional 15 semifinal at Floyd Central on Friday night. Spreen scored 20 points and Bailey added 12 as BNL (19-4) won its 38th consecutive sectional game, advancing to battle No.5 Jennings County for the crown.
In the first semifinal, the Panthers conquered Jeffersonville 56-39. So for the fifth time in the last six years, BNL and Jennings will collide for the trophy, with the victor claiming the grand prize and advancing to the one-game regional.
Locked in a death struggle at halftime, BNL broke free from its collar with an 11-1 burst in the third quarter, then went on a clinching 8-0 run midway through the fourth. While Silver Creek sophomore star Brooklynn Renn was sensational with 29 points, it was BNL’s balance – particularly the unexpected production from Bailey – that made the difference.
The Dragons (18-5) decided to leave Bailey unattended, focusing on Spreen and Madisyn Bailey (the older sister), and that was not illogical. She was averaging only 3.0 points per game, she had made only 11 from long range all season. But she started the game with a trey, she swished another before halftime, and she made a third during the breakaway blast in the second half. Urged by her teammates to keep firing, she made enough to earn some attention and open up space for others.
“That’s what those kids have to do,” BNL coach Jeff Allen said. “It shows you how much she has improved. She has the confidence to make those shots.”
BNL’s key surge came after Silver Creek reserve Jazmyn Robey crashed through the lane for a bucket that trimmed the margin to 30-29. Spreen started the run with a step-back jumper, and Trinidy buried a corner bomb off a Spreen pass. Spreen followed with four free throws, then scored on a sparkling reverse layup for a 41-30 lead.
The Dragons were still lurking at 46-38 when BNL ended the drama. Tori Nikirk made two from the line, Spreen scored from underneath off a Trinidy Bailey return assist, and Miley Sherrill found open space for a bucket as Silver Creek scrambled and trapped.
“I’m really proud of my kids in the second half,” Allen said. “We really battled, and I thought we played pretty smart. We shared the basketball, we were really patient. We didn’t get rattled at all. That’s what you like to see out of your kids at this time of year, that composure. We did a good job of that.”
In a back-and-forth first half that featured 11 lead changes, Renn was a one-person storm with 20 points, including a pair of treys from the key that erased the only separation the Stars could create. Madisyn Bailey’s offensive rebound and reverse layup, Sherrill’s bomb from the top, and Trinidy Bailey’s second trey powered BNL to a 21-17 advantage. Renn came back with her two long jumpers, but Nikirk’s 18-footer at the buzzer gave the Stars a 26-25 edge at the break of a frantic second frame.
Then Spreen asserted herself. She was assigned Renn on defense, and she slowed down SIlver Creek’s only serious threat. Meanwhile, Spreen scored 14 points in the second half and finished a double-double with 10 rebounds. That’s what Miss Basketball candidates can do.
“I needed her to be the physical presence on the floor she can be,” Allen said. “Renn bothered us, but Chloe can be that way, too. I thought she was phenomenal in the second half.”
The Bailey sisters both totaled 12 points, but Trinidy’s was exceptional. She had managed only 10 the last three games.
“They were leaving me wide open,” Trinidy said. “I had to do something to help my team get the win. My confidence kept going up. Madisyn and Chloe told me to keep shooting it, even if I wasn’t making them.“
“Trinidy is one of the best shooters on our team,” Spreen said. “If you’re not going to guard her, I told her to keep shooting it. I knew she could make them. They’re not going to respect your shot? Keeping shooting until you make it.”
BNL had other significant numbers. Nikirk finished with 9 points, the Stars were guilty of only 3 turnovers, and they dominated the glass by a 31-24 count. Everything was totally opposite from the ugly 31-28 win over the Dragons during the regular-season clash at BNL in December.
“The sectional is a different animal,” Allen said. “The regular season is the regular season, but the sectional is the sectional.”
Renn was a force, hitting 8 of 11 shots and making a living at the line. She also had 12 rebounds. Silver Creek’s issue was her supporting cast. Robey had 9 points, everyone else was 0-for-17 from the floor.
“Brooklynn carried us,” Silver Creek coach Scott Schoen said. “She played like a major D-I player, a Miss Basketball candidate when she gets eligible. We always say big-time players make big-time shots in big-time games. And she did. She played great. We just couldn’t buy a basket. That happens in the game of basketball.
“Our game plan was to make sure Chloe didn’t get in the paint, make her shoot some tough twos. You have to choose your poison. Bailey hit some shots, and Chloe got loose a few times. We had about three lapses, and in a game like this, against really good teams, you can’t have lapses and breakdowns, you can’t give up open shots.
“You’ve got a Miss Basketball candidate, arguably the best player in Indiana, and she wasn’t going to lose. She was going to die before she lost.”
Spreen was motivated by Silver Creek’s higher ranking and BNL’s status, even after the Stars The defending state champions) have won 12 titles in row.
“We were like the underdogs of this whole tournament,” she said. “Everyone had something to say about us and Silver Creek. We knew what was coming, but we handled it.”
Jennings County 56, Jeffersonville 39 – Juliann Woodard, on her way to Michigan State, scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while powering the No.5 Panthers to the final.
Alivia Elmore had 16 points and Madelyn McIntosh added 8 as Jennings advanced to its fourth championship game in the last five years. The Panthers pulled away with a 12-2 run to end the third quarter with a 45-27 advantage.
LaKyra Johnson paced the Red Devils (13-10) with 16 points while Keziah Renee added 12. Jeffersonville was guilty of 19 turnovers.
SILVER CREEK DRAGONS (41)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
14 Brooklynn Renn, f 3-5 8-11 10-16 12 3 29
1 Emma Schoen, g 0-4 0-8 2-2 6 1 2
11 Katy Rooney, g 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
23 Lydia Wright, g 0-3 0-7 0-0 1 2 0
13 Kiki Grant, g 0-1 0-1 1-2 1 5 1
20 Jazmyn Robey 1-1 3-5 2-4 2 5 9
15 Hannah Senn 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
Totals 4-14 11-34 15-24 24 17 41
BEDFORD NL STARS (60)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
2 Chloe Spreen, f 0-2 6-15 8-8 10 3 20
22 Miley Sherrill, f 1-5 2-6 2-2 6 2 7
24 Madisyn Bailey, g 0-1 4-6 4-4 3 0 12
32 Trinidy Bailey, g 3-10 4-12 1-2 6 4 12
12 Tori Nikirk, g 1-2 2-3 4-6 3 4 9
20 Bella Jackson 0-0 0-1 0-0 1 2 0
23 Katie Godlevske 0-0 0-1 0-0 1 1 0
11 Haleigh Canada 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 5-20 18-44 19-22 31 16 60
Silver Creek 10 15 9 7 – 41
Bedford NL 9 17 17 17 – 60
Turnovers – Silver Creek 10, BNL 3
Technical foul – Nikirk, Silver Creek bench
Field goal percentage – Silver Creek 11-34 (.323); BNL 18-44 (.409)
Free throw percentage – Silver Creek 15-24 (.625); BNL 19-22 (.864)
JENNINGS COUNTY 56, JEFFERSONVILLE 39
Jennings County (23-3) – Juliann Woodard 22, Avynn Belding 4, Alivia Elmore 16, Mollie Ernstes 4, Madelyn McIntosh 8, Kaydence Lowman 2
Jeffersonville (13-10) – LaKyra Johnson 16, LaQaya Gold 2, Amiya Calloway 6, Keziah Renee 12, Elle Marble 2, Kyia Boatwright 1
