For The Tribune
BROWNSTOWN
Bedford North Lawrence took a 57-52 lead into the fourth quarter, stretched its lead to nine points midway through the period, and held on for a 71-66 win at Brownstown Central on Friday night.
“We didn’t get enough stops,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “This is the first time this year in one of our losses that we played well enough offensively to win. (McCall) Ray was tremendous tonight.”
Michael Boshears topped the Braves with 32 points while Ray led the Stars with 22.
“They had multiple ways to score,” Benter said. “I thought Ray did for them what Boshears did for us.”
Both teams started out hot offensively in the first period resulting in a 24-20 lead for the Stars.
Boshears shot 6-for-6 from the floor in the opening period, including three 3-pointers, and he had two free throws for 17 points.
A 3-point play by Boshears gave the Braves a 20-13 lead before the Stars got hot and closed the quarter on a 11-0 run. Ray had two 3-pointers and Drew Shoufler had two baskets to lead the Stars.
“During the first time out, I wasn’t happy with our guys because of the performance he (Boshears) put on, and it was still a close game,” Boshears said. “We should have had a bigger lead, but we didn’t contain the basketball well enough and put them at the free throw line. We lost Ray a couple of times on screens and switches.”
Bedford North Lawrence (12-7) opened up a 32-25 lead midway through the second quarter before the Braves went on a 7-0 run to tie the game on a pair of free throws by Isaac Johnson at 3:59.
The Braves were leading 37-32 before the Stars scored the final nine points of the half to lead 41-37.
Boshears had 22 points to lead the Braves, and Ray scored 13 points for the Stars.
The Stars outscored the Braves 16-15 in the third quarter.
The Stars held seven point leads twice at 46-39 and 57-50. A layup by Boshears left the Braves trailing 52-57 at the end of the third quarter.
Johnson added 12 points for the Braves, while Brayton Bailey scored 14 and Drew Shoufler added 11 for Bedford North Lawrence.
The Braves made 15 of 16 free throws and the Stars hit 14 of 21.
The Braves shot 22-for-48 from the floor and the Stars were 26-for-48.
Brownstown held a 20-17 advantage in rebounds with Wischmeier leading the Braves with 6.
Brownstown Central will travel to Floyd Central on Tuesday night.