For The Tribune
BEDFORD
Bedford North Lawrence made three free throws in the final 20 seconds to post a 52-49 Hoosier Hills Conference win against Seymour on Friday night.
The Owls battled back from a four-point deficit at 49 on a layup by Evens Cribbs with 30 seconds remaining.
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Seymour trailed 45-38 early in the fourth quarter before going on a 13-4 rally to tie game on Cribbs’ basket.
“I was really proud of our kids,” Owls coach Kyle Clough said. “They made a couple big runs at us there in the first quarter and got nine a couple of times.
“I think maybe our team in the last couple of years would have withered away a little bit on the road here and let that kind of defeat us, but we just kept fighting and fought all the way back and gave ourselves a great chance at the end.
“We get a big steal off the press and get a pick and pop with TB (Tyler Bloom). I’d run that thing and 100 times for him. I know he did not make it this time, but he had a wide-open three to tie it on the road at Bedford. I feel like we did a good job as a team. I am really proud of the kids. That’s a good over there.”
Bloom’s 3-point attempt at the end of the game fell off the front of the rim, and that allowed the Stars to improve to 3-1 in the HHC.
The Stars were sparked by Braxton Day’s nine points, and two-3 pointers by Garrett Flinn opened up a 20-14 lead after the first quarter.
Ryan Wieneke led the Owls a pair of treys.
Seymour closed the gap to 20-19 at the start of the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Tyler Bloom and a pair of free throws by Alan Perry.
The Owls spread the floor to work for the high percentage shot the remainder of the half.
Perry made another 3-pointer and Toriek Miller added a three for the Owls.
Corbin Cain made two 3-pointers for the Stars, who held a 28-25 lead at the half.
The Stars built up a 41-32 lead with 3:13 left in the third quarter before Miller and Seth Ragon made four free throws for a 41-36 score, but the Stars held a 43-36 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Wieneke topped the Owls in scoring with 18 points.
“I was glad to see Ryan get going,“ Clough said. “Ryan had a big game for us. We were struggling to find scoring in the middle of runs, and Ryan stepped up and made some big shots.
The thing I liked most was Toriek was on the bench being the biggest teammate and biggest cheerleader.”
Miller fouled out earlier in the fourth quarter.
Day topped the Stars with 21 points.
The Owls (3-10, 0-5 HHC) will host Scottsburg tonight.
The girls will play at 6 p.m. with the boys game to follow.