By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Rebuilding, a dreaded designation, is a difficult process. Bedford North Lawrence realized the challenges it faced when the program had to start from the ground floor, with a new coach seeking to replace the bulk of the roster and the production from the previous season.
The Stars, after three unforgiving setbacks, have been hit hard by that reality. Losing reveals flaws and character. Handling success is easy, dealing with adversity is not.
Prior to the start of this campaign, the obvious starting point was on the offensive end. Graduation claimed all the main scorers. That happens every couple of years, so BNL’s struggles to score have not been surprising. But the success of the storied program, the foundation, has always been based on two mental fundamentals. Protect the ball, protect the basket. And that doesn’t require special abilities.
Listen to these quotes from basketball greats: “Defense is all about heart and desire. You have to want to play defense” – John Stockton. “I want us to play mother-in-law defense: constant nagging and harassment.” – Rick Pitino. “Defense is one man guarding the ball and four others helping him.” – Mike Krzyzewski. “Defense is about playing with your mind, not just your body.” – Gary Payton. And there’s plenty more (perhaps not targeting all the lovely mothers-in-law) of similar points.
Of all the things BNL must correct at this point, defense has been the surprising issue. The Stars are allowing 75.7 points per game. No team in their history has given up 70-plus points in four consecutive games. That’s the focal point now as BNL prepares for its next test.
”It’s 100 percent the defense,” BNL coach Jackson Ryan said. “It’s just playing hard and playing together. We’re not there yet. We’re trying to send a message to get everyone on the same page. To be frank, it’s been embarrassing, the amount of points we’re giving up. We have to have a sense of pride, play for the storied program that’s across our chest, and dig in.”
Bloomfield, ranked No.1 in Class A this week, is the next obstacle, and the Cardinals feature one of the more prolific scorers in the state. Senior forward Blake Neill, a 6-7 weapon and Indiana Junior All-Star, is averaging 31.3 points and 13.7 rebounds for the high-flying Cardinals (3-0).
“It starts with Neill,” Ryan said. “He did a great job against us last year. He’s a great player, and he will be the focus. The guys around him are very disciplined, they have great poise. At their place, they will be tough to beat.”
Neill, who exploded for 40 in the opening win over Riverton Parke, has strong support in the veteran backcourt of Tyler Patterson (11.0) and Will Dowden, with 6-6 Owen Medina as a defensive stopper, with 6-3 athlete Ashton Pace as another shooting option. Neill, who spent the bulk of the offseason in the weight room to add muscle and explosiveness, demands a lot of attention, from defenses and college scouts.
“He takes a beating because he’s always getting double-teamed, maybe triple-teamed,” Bloomfield coach Nate O’Neall said. “He just gives it right back. We’re playing better team ball. The ball is not always in Blake’s hands. Teams will always concentrate on him, but we have other guys who can step up and shoot. We’re distributing the ball.“
BNL (0-3) will have to limit Bloomfield’s scoring while increasing its own. Parker Kern leads the Stars at 14.3, Dax Short is contributing 10.3. The Stars are averaging 15 turnovers and getting outrebounded by 8.3 per contest. BNL’s opponents have shot a supernatural 59.2 percent.
”There’s not a lot of margin for error for us,” Ryan said. “I’m much more worried about us, the things we’re trying to do. If we do that, everything will take care of itself.”
“It’s a reload year for them,” O’Neall said. “When you lose the guys they lost, those guys could put up points in bunches. They’re only three games into a rebuild year. They’re going in the right direction.
“BNL is a 4A school, We’re not going against 1A athletes. They will be a little faster, a little stronger, so we will have to make adjustments.”
BNL won last year’s clash 56-53 as Patric Matson scored 18 points and Logan Miracle totaled 14. Neill paced Bloomfield with 30 points.
BNL at BLOOMFIELD
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: BNL 0-3; Bloomfield 3-0, ranked No.1 in Class A
Series: BNL leads 28-6
Last meeting: Last year at BNL, the Stars prevailed 56-53. Patric Matson scored 18 points and Logan Miracle added 14 for BNL. Blake Neill totaled 30 points for Bloomfield.
Previous game story: Stars fire in stages
Game notes: BNL is making its first trip to Bloomfield since the 2009-10 season. The Stars haven’t started 0-4 since the 2007-08 season. BNL is allowing 75.7 points per game. BNL has never allowed 70-plus points in four consecutive games in program history.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Ben Conner 6-3 Sr.
F – Gibson Crane 6-3 Sr.
G – Dax Short 6-1 Sr.
G – Parker Kern 6-1 Jr.
G – Jace Nicholson 6-0 Jr.
Bloomfield Cardinals
F – Owen Medina 6-6 Sr.
F – Blake Neill 6-7 Sr.
F – Ashton Pace 6-3 Sr.
G – Tyler Patterson 5-8 Jr.
G – Will Dowden 5-10 Sr.
