By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Coming off the season’s first loss, Bedford North Lawrence learned a simple truth. Nothing is easy, especially when the outside forces working to conquer the Stars are equal to the inside obstacles that hamper progress. The margin for error leaves no room for relaxation.
The Stars can fix their internal issues with practice and attention to detail. The external challenges will remain difficult as BNL returns home to tangle with Bloomington North.
For the third straight game, the Stars will face an opponent without video to scour. The Cougars have yet to make their debut this season, which gives them a two-game advantage in scouting. That also gives BNL (1-1) an edge in settling into the flow of competition. North will have to handle the first-game nerves.
BNL’s 47-41 setback at Evansville North was notable for the on-court adjustments that must be addressed. The Stars had a late lead but could not convert a field goal during the final four minutes, and turnovers were key as the Huskies turned many of those 18 miscues into crucial points during a low-scoring game.
“It’s just finishing,” BNL coach Chase Spreen said. “I thought our execution was pretty good, and I think Evansville North is talented, as talented as anybody on our schedule. I knew they would be a handful for us, but I thought we did a good job of executing. We gave ourselves an opportunity, but we didn’t finish. We didn’t finish possessions, didn’t finish around the basket at the level we should have, and we just didn’t finish the game. I was pretty happy with our defense, we located shooters, and that gave us a chance to win.
“Those turnovers are way too many to beat that team. You can’t have live-ball change of possessions in the middle of the floor. Obviously we weren’t doing it intentionally, we just can’t get lackadaisical. You can’t let them take it from you.“
Bloomington North will present similar problems. The Cougars have size, with three 6-footers up front, and experience in the backcourt with Lulu Frank and Rilynn Williams.
“Our team strength is our size and athleticism, and our goal to turn defense into offense,” North coach Kiley Jarrett said. “I’m sure coming out we will have a few first-game jitters that we will have to work through. Hopefully we can rely, and fall back, on the work we have put into practice and settle in rather quick.”
BNL has won 15 straight games in the series, with last year’s clash at North a study in extremes. North exploded for a 20-5 run in the second quarter while roaring to a 26-20 advantage at halftime. The Stars responded with a 21-2 run in the fourth quarter while pulling away to a deceiving 59-40 victory. The Cougars were hot during their run but hit only 7 of 33 shots in the other quarters. BNL hit 11 of 13 shots in the final frame.
Trinidy Bailey had 20 points, Miley Sherrill had 17 points and Sammie Nusbaum added 11 for BNL, while Frank (17 points) and Williams (11) were the catalysts for North.
Sherrill is off to a solid senior start, averaging 16.0, while Nusbaum is contributing 13.0. The Stars will need to develop a third option, and cut down on the 34 turnovers committed during the first two games.
“North has some size and length we’ll have to deal with,” Spreen said. “We have to keep them off the boards, we have to play well to win the game.
”Our schedule is a tough, it’s filled with good teams, if we don’t play well we will get beat. I know it’s hard, so we have to approach each game with a sense of urgency. We have to be better in the intangible things. Those are fixable and correctable.”
BLOOMINGTON NORTH at BNL
When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: Bloomington North 0-0; BNL 1-1
Coaches: Kiley Jarrett, 44-30 in fourth season at North; Chase Spreen, 17-9 in second season at BNL
Last meeting: Last year at North, the Stars went on a 21-2 run in the fourth quarter while surging to a 59-40 victory. Trinidy Bailey had 20 points and Miley Sherrill totaled 17 for BNL. Lulu Frank had 17 points for the Cougars.
Previous game story: From one extreme to another, Stars explode
Game notes: BNL has won 15 straight games in the series. This is BNL’s third straight game against an opponent making its 2026-27 debut.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Sammie Nusbaum 5-10 Sr.
F – Miley Sherrill 5-9 Sr.
G – Jordynn Blann 5-2 Sr.
G – Elahdy Ray 5-7 Jr.
G – Caroline Sheldon 5-6 Jr.
Bloomington North Cougars
F – Audrey Burton 6-0 Sr.
F – Ashley Stegemoller 6-0 Sr.
F – Jossilyn Draughn 6-0 Jr.
G – Rilynn Williams 5-9 Sr.
G – Lulu Frank 5-6 Jr.
