By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – If all ancient roads ended in Rome, the center of classic culture and the empire’s power, all the basketball highways lead to Seymour for the intersection of well-aged Hoosier Hills Conference rivals in Sectional 15. It’s the epicenter for postseason supremacy, with many ways to arrive at the desired destination.
Jeffersonville has taken the straight-line approach. The No.7 Red Devils, the defending sectional champions, are (as the nickname implies) the hottest team in the tournament, riding a 12-game winning streak following their first-round destruction of Scottsburg. They believe their destiny ultimately awaits in the capital city.
Bedford North Lawrence has taken the short cut with a coveted first-round bye. The Stars, looking to defy recent trends, are searching for a sudden spark after many detours and mechanical malfunctions during the second half of the regular season. Differing journeys have converged as BNL faces the tough task of beating the best in order to become the best.
The Stars (9-12) will challenge the Red Devils (18-5) in the first semifinal on Friday night. Upstart Floyd Central (5-18), fresh from a stunning upset of Seymour in the first round, will face corporation brother New Albany (18-3 and ranked No.11) in the second semifinal. The winners will collide in the championship on Saturday night.
If winning streaks create momentum and designate favorites, the Devils have the empirical evidence to claim that. Jeffersonville is peaking at the perfect time, hoping to make another deep tournament drive after advancing to the semistate final last season.
“Every coach at this level wants to play their best basketball going into the tournament,” Jeffersonville coach Sherron Wilkerson said.. “We’ve been able to get some good wins under our belt, which has given us a little momentum. By all means, we’re starting to play some really good basketball.“
It’s no coincidence Jeffersonville’s surge started with the return of star senior Tre Singleton, a Northwestern recruit who was sidelined following surgery for a broken foot. Once he recovered, the Devils have been the monstrous force everyone expected. Don’t let the record mislead anyone. Jeffersonville – which has other Div. I talent in its lineup – has lost only once since he came back full time.
Singleton averages 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Combine that with Wright State recruits Michael Cooper (19.6 points) and P.J. Douglas (13.0 points, 5.3 boards), the Devils have amazing firepower. Singleton, a smooth 6-8 power forward, is the catalyst.
“I graduated in 1993,” said Wilkerson, who helped the Devils win the state title that season, “and I’m not sure Southern Indiana has seen a player, from that point until now, as dynamic as Tre. His size gives him an advantage, but his ability to play with other good players on the floor, and his ability to be able to move, puts him in a different class.
“The Northwestern coaches came to a recent game, and I told them I would be shocked if Tre is not in the running for freshman of the year in the Big Ten next year.”
That’s high praise. Lost in the glare of that tremendous trio is the fact Jeffersonville has other weapons. Lost among the early losses is the fact Jeffersonville made its schedule as difficult as possible, including an appearance in the prestigious Hall of Fame Classic in New Castle, with the postseason in mind. The Devils have been in the fire.
“The success we’re seeing now is because of what we did around Christmas and the early part of our season,” Wilkerson said. “It set the stage for a mental and physical toughness that you have to have to make a deep run. That gave us a really good litmus test to see how much we’ve grown. It really worked out well for us, to build momentum and create an identity.
“Those three have really raised the level of our program. They’ve put us in a position to fight for a state championship, but we have guys that have contributed in other areas that don’t get the recognition they deserve. There will be an element of personal sacrifice that you have to make, and our guys have embraced that. You have to take each step as if it’s your last.“
Bedford North Lawrence has embraced the spoiler role. All the pressure will be on Jeffersonville. The Sagarin computer predicts a substantial margin, and the Stars are given only a 3-percent chance to win the sectional title. The Stars are the classic underdogs – for a reason. BNL has lost seven of its last eight games, scuffling that started with a regular-season loss to the Red Devils in BNL Fieldhouse on Jan. 31.
That night, BNL had the lead in the first half until the Devils countered with an 11-0 run. The Stars were within striking range at 33-29 before the Devils pulled away for a 48-39 triumph. That tough win helped propel Jeffersonville to the HHC title, and BNL hasn’t really recovered its psyche since.
Singleton paced the Devils with 13 points and 10 rebounds while Cooper totaled 12 points. BNL, guilty of 17 turnovers, was held under 40 for the only time this season.
“Their ability to disrupt teams, and break them off of whatever they might be trying to accomplish, is really next level,” BNL coach Kurt Godlevske said. “It’s not just halfcourt, it’s full court. They are tremendous at scrambling. They can trap, and all their players understand rotations. They make things very challenging.
“We have to take care of the ball, we have to stop their transition. They’re great at forcing turnovers and getting transition baskets. You have to limit them to one shot per possession. Offensively, we have to be able to manufacture points, find areas where we can get some open looks, and we have to make shots.”
Jeffersonville will have to control BNL scoring leader Patric Matson (19.7), who totaled 14 against the Devils. The Stars will also look for contributions from Logan Miracle (9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds) and Quincy Pickett (9.0). BNL, at its best, is prolific from the perimeter.
“We have to get the looks,” Godlevske said. “Hopefully it will be a collective group. When we take care of the ball, we get into space and we have a number of people who can shoot the ball well. That’s when we’re the most efficient.”
Jeffersonville’s current streak includes impressive wins over New Albany (78-59) and Class 3A power Brownstown, which was undefeated until the Devils cruised to a 61-43 triumph. “That win was an indicator of how well they’ve been playing,” Godlevske said.
BNL, chasing its first sectional title since 2001, will attempt to end its postseason slump. The Stars have gone one-and-done eight times in the last nine years, and they’ve reached only two finals in the last 12 seasons.
New Albany vs. Floyd Central – This wasn’t the predicted semifinal, but the Highlanders recorded the first huge upset with a 33-32 win over Seymour, which had won 14 of 15 games and smacked Floyd 44-28 during the regular season.
Can Floyd shock the state again? New Albany won the first clash 92-66 on Dec. 13, although the Highlanders have gone through changes since then, most notably on the sideline. Former coach Fonso White was suspended on Feb. 6, with Mikel Miller taking over the program on an interim basis.
“The Floyd game was so long ago, but we’re both completely different teams at this point and time,” New Albany coach Jason Jones said. “They have played a lot better basketball. I expect them to play a lot better than they did when we saw them.”
New Albany has won nine of its last 10, and the Bulldogs have the next young star in freshman Noah Washington, who’s averaging 15 points per game. He has fit in perfectly with a veteran lineup that includes seniors Chris Lampkins (11.0), Rylan Schrink (14.0) and Jordan Treat. New Albany ranks 12th in the state in scoring at 70.4.
“Any time at this point in the season, you’re battle tested,” Jones said. “Like any freshman, Noah has had his ups and downs throughout the year, and he has really hit his stride over the last 10 games, really shown the consistency.
“I like the way our young guys and veterans are blending. Our starting group has been the same every game, and it’s a good core. Depth and experience have helped us this year.”
Floyd will feature sophomore Landon Reed (16.6 points) as its main threat.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 15
Semifinal round at Seymour
JEFFERSONVILLE vs. BNL
When: Friday, 6 p.m.
Records: Jeffersonville 18-5, ranked No.7; BNL 9-12
Sagarin ratings: Jeffersonville 93.93, BNL 73.56
Series: Jeffersonville leads 35-29
Last meeting: On Jan. 31 at BNL, the Red Devils clipped the Stars 48-39. Tre Singleton had 13 points and 10 rebounds while Michael Cooper added 12 points for the Devils. Patric Matson had 14 points for BNL.
Previous game story: Red Devils dig deep
Game notes: The Devils have won six of the last seven meetings with the Stars. Jeffersonville has won four straight postseason games against BNL and leads the tournament series 9-6. BNL has not won a sectional game since 2021, and its last sectional title came in 2001. Jeffersonville is the defending sectional champion.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Dax Short 6-1 Jr.
F – Isaiah Sasser 6-0 Sr.
C – Logan Miracle 6-5 Sr.
G – Patric Matson 6-5 Sr.
G – Quincy Pickett 6-3 Sr.
Jeffersonville Red Devils
F – P.J. Douglas 6-4 Sr.
F – Tre Singleton 6-8 Sr.
G – Michael Cooper 6-3 Sr.
G – Terrence Nord 6-1 Jr.
G – Elijah Cheek 6-0 Jr.
NEW ALBANY vs FLOYD CENTRAL
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: New Albany 18-3, ranked No.11; Floyd Central 5-18
Sagarin ratings: New Albany 86.41; Floyd Central 65.47
Last meeting: On Dec. 13 at New Albany, the Bulldogs blew out the Highlanders 92-66. New Albany had five scorers in double figures. Landon Reed scored 16 points for Floyd Central.
Game notes: Floyd Central won its last sectional title in 2022. New Albany won its last title in 2018. The Highlanders have their fewest wins since winning five during the 2007-08 season. New Albany ranks 12th in the state in scoring at 70.4.
Starting lineups
New Albany Bulldogs
F – Noah Washington 6-5 Fr.
F – Chris Lampkins 6-5 Sr.
G – Rylan Schrink 6-3 Sr.
G – T.J. Washington 5-10 Jr.
G – Jordan Treat 6-0 Sr.
Floyd Central Highlanders
F – Carter McQuigg 6-3 Jr.
F – Sam Higgins 6-5 Sr.
G – Parker Kays 6-3 So.
G – Landon Reed 6-3 So.
G – Jaxon Stone 6-2 So.
