By Tom Reck
Bloomington North finished strong Tuesday night to defeat Terre Haute North 39-32 in girls high school basketball.
The Cougars used a 7-0 run to go up 35-28 and held off the Patriots to go to 2-0 for the season while the Patriots are even for the year at 2-2.
The Cougars had an 11-6 lead after one period of play and had the biggest lead for either team in the second stanza -- leading by nine -- but the host team scored the final seven points of the half for a 19-19 deadlock at the intermission.
Nicole Anderson hit a 3-pointe from midcourt at the buzzer to gain the tie.
The two teams combined for 10 points in the third canto and the Patriots took a 25-23 lead into the final frame.
The score was tied at 25 and at 28 before the Cougars used their 7-0 run to assume control of the contest.
BN senior Maureeen Hirt hit 5 of 8 shots to lead the winners with15 points while Hannah Lukemeyer grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds to help the Cougars outrebound the Patriots 36-27.
Lindy Jones notched 15 points to share game scoring honors with Hirt and Anderson had seven points and nine boards before fouling out in the final minute. The Patriots had one more field goal than the Cougars (14 to 13) but the winners were good on 13 of 16 free throws and the Påtriots canned 1 of 7. The teams combined for 46 turnovers.
“We had our opportunities but couldn’t take advantage. Defensively, it was our best game,” said coach Mike Allen.
The Patriots open Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference play Saturday afternoon at North against a Carmel team that is ranked in the top five in the state.
“Carmel has shooters and post players. We’ll have to take care of the basketball and defend the heck out of them,” said the coach.
BLOOMINGTON NORTH (39) — Kinzer 1-5 0-0 2, Hoy 6-8 2-3 14, Lukemeyer 1-2 3-4 5, Hirt 5-8 5-5 15, Winningham 0-5 3-4 3, DeMoss 0-5 0-0 0, Luce 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-34 FG, 13-16 FT 39 TP
TERRE HAUTE NORTH (32) — Etling 0-2 0-0 0, Ketner 2-6 0-1 4, Jones 6-13 1-2 15, McCarthy 3-11 0-1 6, Anderson 3-10 0-1 7, Barnhill 0-2 0-0 0, Finley 0-0 0-2 0, Seeley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 14-45 FG, 1-7 FT, 32 TP
Bloomington North 11 8 4 16 — 39
Terre Haute North 6 13 6 7 — 32
3-point goals — BN 0-6 (Kinzer 0-1, Hirt 0-3, DeMoss 0-1, Luce 0-1), THN 3-8 (Ketner 0-1, Jones 2-4, Anderson 1-2, Seeley 0-1). Total fouls — BN 13, THN 15. Fouled out — Anderson. Rebounds — BN 36 (Lukemeyer 11, Winningham 7, Hoy 5), THN 27 (Anderson 9, Jones 6). Turnovers — BN 25, THN 21.
JV — Terre Haute North 26 (Christie Hasbrouck 6, Morgan Stewart 6, Ashley Howard 6 ), Bloomington North 17 (Kyli Walls 6)
Next — Terre Haute North (2-2) is host to Carmel on Saturday. Bloomington North (2-0) is at Perry Meridian on Friday.
