By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – In mathematics, Q is the symbol for rational numbers. And any rational scout who has studied Quincy Pickett knows Bedford North Lawrence’s senior sniper – who ironically wears No.3 – is a serious threat from the bonus line.
In physics, Q is the symbol for electrical charge. And the Q Man was lighting up BNL Fieldhouse on Saturday night, stroking treys at a record pace. He was hot, so too was the temperature index on BNL’s collective backside when a comfortable advantage evaporated to almost nothing. Jennings County, with a second-half firestorm, forced some squirming and angst during a thunderous comeback.
Fortunately, BNL avoided complete collapse as Patric Matson made two big plays in the final minute to help the Stars escape with a 65-60 win over the Panthers. Pickett was a star with eight treys for a career-high 24 points as BNL (7-4) posted its fourth straight win and its first Hoosier Hills Conference triumph.
Pickett swished six from long range during a sensational first half. BNL roared to an 18-3 lead and stretched that margin to 17 late in the second quarter. Then the Panthers (7-6) scrambled back as star guard Carter Kent willed his team to a 61-60 deficit, and Jennings had a possession for the lead.
That’s when Matson came up clutch. He skied for a steal and raced to the basket for a tough layup and 63-60 lead. When Kent launched an ultra-deep bomb from the volleyball line in an attempt to pull the Panthers even, Matson grabbed the wild rebound and lofted a pass to Dax Short for the breakaway, clinching bucket that allowed BNL to escape.
There were early minutes to be proud of, and late moments of cringe as BNL – playing its third game in four days – stumbled with turnovers and missed rebounds. Somehow the Stars dodged a lot of danger.
“What I was most proud of was we started making plays to win,” BNL coach Kurt Godlevske said. “We didn’t fold. You have to make plays to win, and that was a good experience for us. We had to make plays.”
The opening barrage was spectacular. With Matson and Pickett playing a game of HORSE from the 3-point line, BNL galloped to a huge lead. In fact, BNL’s first nine baskets were from the arc, and nobody recorded a two-point goal until JC’s Omar Gonzalez worked loose for a layup at 5:55 of the second quarter. The Stars finally scored from inside the arc on a Isaiah Sasser layup two minutes later.
Pickett was the problem. For some reason, the Panthers allowed him room on the perimeter. He made them pay a great price. So much for the scouting report.
“We worked all week on defense, talking about long close-outs, making Pickett put the ball on the floor, doubling (Logan) Miracle in the post on catches,” JC coach Michael McBride said. “We were solid there, but Pickett never once had to put the ball on the floor. He was comfortable, we just didn’t do a good enough job.”
Thanks to the Pickett charge, BNL hit 10 of 14 from long range in the first half. BNL’s biggest lead came at 38-21 on a soft Matson hook in the lane, and Parker Kern’s layup at the buzzer sent BNL to the break with a 40-24 lead. It was almost too easy.
“We executed the way we should,” Godlevske said. “That was the focus. We distributed the basketball, played with purpose and were very efficient. When you shoot the ball like that, it makes it a lot easier. We ran some real nice action, and the kids did a good job of finding Q. That makes the game a lot easier.”
Jennings battled back, opening the third quarter with a 10-2 run as Kent scored three times. Matson temporarily stopped the rally with a trey from the key and a slam following Jacob Ritter’s theft. But Kent went the distance with a steal that cut the BNL lead to 50-40.
Then came the anxious moments. Kent, Logan Napier and Hayden Law buried bombs that got Jennings within 53-49, and Kent rebounded his own miss to make it 55-53. Three times after that, the Panthers got within a point on another Napier three (57-56), Kent’s wing drive (59-58) and Kent’s spin through the lane (61-60). That set the stage for the final minute.
“In the second half, we were making progress by attacking the rim,” McBride said. “Then in the last minute, we never once attacked the rim, to get to the free-throw line and stop the clock. We settled for 25-foot jump shots. We have to make sure we get the best look we can get, not just any look.”
Kent finished with 27 points. Jennings had eight offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, and BNL was guilty of five turnovers in that same span.
“I don’t know if it was the proverbial basketball wall we hit, with three games in four days, but we started to stand a lot,” Godlevske said. “We waited for the next person to make the play and go get the rebound, instead of securing it.”
Matson finished with 21 points, his fourth consecutive game of 20-plus. Short added 9 points, and Pickett was an electric 8 of 11 from his favorite spot on the court.
“A big shout-out to my teammates,” Pickett said. “They found me. I was open, they got me in the right spots. I just had to make shots. You have to keep shooting after that. Let it fly.”
After the NBA-style week, BNL deserves a break and will get one, returning to action at Seymour on Friday.
JENNINGS COUNTY PANTHERS (60)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
44 Omar Gonzalez, f 0-0 1-1 0-0 4 1 2
40 Luke Alexander, f 1-5 1-5 0-0 7 0 3
5 Carter Kent, g 3-11 11-25 2-3 9 0 27
12 Jeremiah Davis, g 1-3 4-7 0-1 2 3 9
2 Logan Napier, g 3-7 3-8 0-0 0 2 9
20 Hayden Law 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 3 3
3 Cash Millspaugh 1-3 3-5 0-0 3 0 7
32 Jackson Earl 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 10-29 24-54 2-3 25 9 60
BEDFORD NL STARS (65)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
5 Dax Short, f 1-2 2-3 4-4 1 4 9
22 Isaiah Sasser, f 0-0 2-4 0-2 1 0 4
31 Logan Miracle, c 0-0 1-1 0-2 4 0 2
10 Patric Matson, g 3-5 8-14 2-2 7 2 21
3 Quincy Pickett, g 8-11 8-11 0-0 6 1 24
12 Jacob Ritter 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
4 Parker Kern 1-2 2-3 0-0 2 0 5
24 Gibson Crane 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
23 Tyler Stigall 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
Totals 13-20 23-36 6-10 22 8 65
Jennings Co. 9 15 16 20 – 60
Bedford NL 18 22 10 15 – 65
Turnovers – Jennings Co. 9, BNL 14
Field goal percentage – Jennings Co. 24-54 (.444); BNL 23-36 (.639)
Free throw percentage – Jennings Co. 2-3 (.667); BNL 6-10 (.600)
