By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Clinical trials involve research, with human volunteers, to test new methods for detecting or treating medical conditions. The studies are crucial to determine if procedures or new drugs are safe and effective. Experiment, analyze, hopefully save lives.
In this basketball version, Bedford North Lawrence discovered it had no cure for the North Knox malady. The Warriors, ranked No.1 in Class 2A, were fast-spreading viruses, and there was no saving the Stars from an agonizing demise.
The clinic was North Knox’s brand of surgical precision. BNL got chased out of its offense, got carved up with a sharp scalpel on the defensive end, suffering a 63-33 runaway loss on Monday night. Lexi Primus, a sensational shooter who’s headed to Lipscomb, scored 18 points as the Warriors (8-0) showed why they rank among the state leaders in defense and winning margin.
Doctor, doctor, give ‘em the news. No pill was going to cure BNL’s ill. After hanging on for two-plus quarters, the Stars were given a dire diagnosis, a 20-0 run that was part devastating, part impressive, totally lethal. BNL disintegrated as the gap widened, that was bad medicine.
Down 38-27 midway through the third quarter, still within striking range, BNL didn’t score again until the 4:35 mark of the fourth quarter. “It seemed like they separated pretty fast,” BNL coach Chase Spreen said. That perception was also reality.
Pick a poison. North Knox was ruthless on both ends. While the Stars did not succumb to pressure with turnovers (committing only six), they struggled to make shots. BNL shot a dismal 25 percent, which included 6 of 27 from long range. Rather than adjust, perhaps attack to get to the foul line, the Stars were quick to launch.
“We got some looks,” Spreen said. “And I understand it won’t be our night every night. But when shots aren’t falling, we have to figure out other ways to score. We have to score more than 33 points.”
On the other end, the Warriors were surgeons. Nobody stood still. While one was driving, another was diving to an open spot for a pinpoint delivery (usually from lefty point guard Baylee McClure) and a layup. When the defense collapsed, Primus was pure, drilling five treys. She hit two, and electric freshman Caroline Yenne capped the blast with another from long range, during the deciding burst.
”Our interior passing was just really good,” North Knox coach Steve Meurer said. “That’s something we’ve been working on. So it’s good to see that pay off. All the girls gave us something, we had six girls plays extremely well. That makes us hard to guard.”
Jade Richter added 17 points, Roselyn Armes came off the bench for 10, while McClure and Yenne added 8 each. The Warriors also dominated the glass 37-16 and were whistled for only five fouls.
Jordan Blann was BNL’s only offensive threat with 12 points (all from distance). North Knox took away BNL’s two leading scorers (Trinidy Bailey and Miley Sherrill), while Elahdy Ray had 7 points in her first start.
“We knew Bailey was a heck of a player,” Meurer said. “She didn’t have 3-point looks, or they were hard ones. Lexi is our best defender. She guards the best player on the other team.
“The whole halftime talk was how they were getting loose for open threes. Blann was just canning everything. We did a better job of containing the 3-point shot, which I thought was keeping them in the game.”
The final analysis: North Knox could be destined for something special.
“It’s all the way to the top,” Meurer said. “If we don’t get there, we won’t achieve what we need to. If we play to our potential, I don’t think anyone can beat us.” BNL, as the human test tube, cannot disagree. The Stars were taught multiple, valuable lessons.
“We have to figure out ways to score the basketball,” Spreen said. “When it’s all said and done, we have to figure out ways to get stops. They just kicked our butt in the second half. They’re really good, really efficient. I don’t think that’s out of character for them. They move really well. Our help was bad. We have to improve that. It’s frustrating because that’s something we talk a lot about.
”We will find out who really wants to be here. We will find out what we’re made of. You don’t really know people when things are going well. When things aren’t going well, that’s when you find out about wanting to be here.”
BNL (5-3 with back-to-back losses against ranked 2A competition) will use the week to recover before visiting New Albany on Saturday.
NORTH KNOX WARRIORS (63)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
41 Jade Richter, f 0-1 4-9 9-12 5 1 17
11 Leix Primus, g 5-7 4-7 3-4 4 3 18
12 Baylee McClure, g 2-6 3-9 0-0 8 1 8
15 Caroline Yenne, g 2-2 3-6 0-0 6 0 8
1 Millee Leroy, g 0-2 1-3 0-0 2 0 2
34 Roselyn Armes 0-0 5-7 0-0 8 0 10
22 Mila Williams 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
32 Audrey Worstell 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
2 Emma Telligman 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
4 Jonna Myers 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 9-18 21-41 12-16 37 5 63
BEDFORD NL STARS (33)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
22 Miley Sherrill, f 0-6 2-12 1-1 4 1 5
32 Trinidy Bailey, g 0-6 1-11 2-2 5 2 4
21 Jordan Blann, g 4-8 4-8 0-0 0 2 12
11 Paige Burton, g 0-1 0-1 0-0 1 1 0
12 Elahdy Ray, g 1-2 3-5 0-0 0 0 7
23 Sammie Nusbaum 1-4 2-9 0-0 3 2 5
24 Caroline Sheldon 0-0 0-1 0-0 1 0 0
20 Bella Warren 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
31 Audrey Hoffman 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
44 Annie Watson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 6-27 12-48 3-3 16 9 33
North Knox 16 15 16 16 – 63
Bedford NL 12 6 9 6 – 33
Turnovers – North Knox 11, BNL 6
Field goal percentage – North Knox 21-41 (.512); BNL 12-48 (.250)
Free throw percentage – North Knox 12-16 (.750); BNL 3-3 (1.000)
