BEDFORD — Seymour’s boys basketball team used a superlative defensive effort to secure a tough 36-26 victory over Bedford North Lawrence on Friday night.
The Owls (8-4) limited Bedford to just seven first-half points and held the Stars to 25 percent shooting from the floor, including 2-for-17 (12 percent) from 3-point range.
“Our first-half defensive effort and execution was about as good as it gets,” Seymour head coach Kirk Manns said. “We were worried about (Colten) Leach and their penetration, and we took that away. Defense has been our staple this season. We’re not the kind of team that will score 70 or 80 points.”
Indeed, after taking an 18-7 lead into halftime, Seymour scored just four points in the third quarter and allowed Bedford to close to within three points at 24-21 with five minutes remaining in the game.
That’s when Casey Regruth made four consecutive free throws and Charlie Longmeier rambled to the basket for a layup that pushed the Owls ahead, 30-21, with 90 seconds left.
Bret Perry hit two more foul shots, and Marcus Brooks and Landon Fritsch each added a layup to seal the win.
Friday’s triumph continued Seymour’s strong run in the Hoosier Hills Conference, bumping its record to 4-1. The Owls are sitting in second place with their final HHC game — against first-place Floyd Central — coming up next weekend.
The victory was also a rarity against Bedford. It was just the second time Seymour has defeated the Stars since 2008.
Manns wasn’t interested in his team’s latest “first time since” victory, however.
“That doesn’t mean much for this group,” he said. “It may mean something for the future, but the past isn’t important.”
Junior Eli Meyer scored eight first-half points and led all scorers with 10. Fritsch followed with eight, while Regruth, Brooks and Longmeier all had four.
Leach, Bedford’s leading scorer and Seymour’s primary defensive focus, ended with a team-high seven points.
Regruth and Fritsch each ended with a team-high five rebounds, helping Seymour to a 23-21 edge on the boards.
The real star for the Owls, however, was their defense. The Stars’ 26 points were their second-lowest total of the season, behind only the 24 points they mustered against Bloomington South on Dec. 3.
Holding BNL to seven first-half points was Seymour’s best defensive half since limiting Columbus North to the same total in the opening two quarters on Nov. 27.
The Stars scored five points in the first quarter, then managed just two in the second period — the lowest number of points the Owls have given up in a quarter this season.
In 48 quarters over 12 games so far this season, Seymour’s defense has held opponents to less than five points in a period nine times. Six of those quarters have come in the last four games.