By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
EVANSVILLE – Winning time requires plays be made. Evansville North, with the outcome in the balance at two different junctures, was rewarded for doing that. Bedford North Lawrence suffered a road loss, because it did not.
The obvious critical period was the final 4 1/2 minutes, when the Stars managed only two points. The other was a possession with a seven-point lead midway through the second quarter, with the Huskies hanging on and desperately searching for answers. Both moments were solved as North won its season opener.
Lexi Scott made crucial free throws in the closing run as North conquered the Stars 47-41 on Saturday afternoon. Scott totaled 15 points while Madelynn Walters, a first-half menace, added 12. Both had their fingerprints on the swing plays that doomed the Stars (1-1).
BNL owned a 39-36 lead when Miley Sherrill popped a soft 15-footer in the lane, but that would be the last basket, and the penultimate points (save for late free throws in the final minute). Scott was clutch with a key basket, the go-ahead free throws with 1:21 remaining, and the clinching free throws for a two-possession lead with 19.4 seconds left.
“That’s how you win games,” North first-year coach Brad Elliott said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the girls for the way they played.”
The earlier time frame was also huge. BNL, at its best, opened the second quarter with seven straight points as Sherrill stormed to a 3-point play, then scored off a rebound. Jordynn Blann capped the spurt with a rare drive through traffic for a basket and 19-12 lead. But the next trip ended with a Walters steal for a breakaway layup that settled the Huskies. They regrouped on the fly and scrambled within 21-20 at the half. BNL’s chance to build a comfortable gap was gone.
In the second half, the lead changed hands six times, with the Stars taking control on Sammie Nusbaum’s wing trey, two Elahdy Ray free throws and the final Sherrill bucket.
North had two distinct advantages. The Huskies were 15 of 19 at the line, and they had nine extra possessions with an 18-9 edge in turnovers. That allowed North to win its nervous debut.
“It feels incredible,” Elliott said. “I was the most excited person in the whole gym, and it was a little bit of everything.”
Nusbaum paced BNL with 13 points, Sherrill totaled 12, while Blann and Ray added seven each. The Stars, so reliant on perimeter jumpers early this season, managed only four treys and made only 7 of 12 (with three coming after a made basket that could have been the and-one for momentum) at the line.
“We left a lot of makable shots out there,” BNL coach Chase Spreen said. “We did a good job of executing. It comes down to finishing. And we missed too many free throws.
”At the end of the day, we have to find ways to put the ball in the hole.”
BNL will return to action on Tuesday, hosting Bloomington North.
BEDFORD NL STARS (41)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
23 Sammie Nusbaum, f 3-6 4-12 2-2 8 3 13
22 Miley Sherrill, f 0-2 5-12 2-4 8 3 12
21 Jordynn Blann, g 1-2 3-5 0-0 3 2 7
12 Elahdy Ray, g 0-3 2-8 3-5 3 4 7
24 Caroline Sheldon, g 0-0 1-2 0-1 3 0 2
31 Audrey Hoffman 0-0 0-2 0-0 4 0 0
32 Annie Watson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 4-13 15-41 7-12 31 12 41
EVANSVILLE NORTH HUSKIES (47)
3s FGs FTs R F Pts
10 Brooke Silva, f 1-2 1-3 1-2 3 2 4
24 Madelynn Walters, f 0-2 6-12 0-0 3 2 12
14 Addy Gibson, g 0-1 1-4 0-0 3 3 2
1 Lexi Scott, g 0-0 3-5 9-11 5 2 15
11 Millie Elliott, g 0-1 2-9 3-4 2 2 7
12 Gracie Watkins 0-1 1-2 0-0 2 4 2
22 Molly Kennedy 1-4 1-6 0-0 1 1 3
30 Morgan Knies 0-0 0-0 2-2 0 0 2
Totals 2-11 15-41 15-19 22 16 47
Bedford NL 12 9 11 9 – 41
Evan. North 12 8 12 15 – 47
Turnovers – BNL 18, Evan. North 9
Field goal percentage – BNL 15-41 (.366); Evan. North 15-41 (.366)
Free throw percentage – BNL 7-12 (.583); Evan. North 15-19 (.789)
