By BRAD BAUGHMAN, for The Democrat
More than four weeks ago, the Brown County High School girls basketball team opened its season with a loss at Silver Creek High School.
Last week, the Eagles finally had the opportunity to take the court again, and they made the most of it by securing home wins against Eastern Greene and Owen Valley.
Eastern Greene visited Nashville after having not played for three weeks, but the Thunderbirds had managed to get four games in before their layoff. Unfazed by their opponents’ advantage in game experience, the Eagles rolled to a 72-57 victory and were never really threatened.
Sophomore guard Abby Fleetwood put the Eagles on the board, scoring the game’s first bucket with a baseline runner. The Eagles’ pressure defense, spurred by Fleetwood’s three first-quarter steals, gave the T-Birds fits. A pair of three-pointers by sophomore guard Katie Tipton and a steal and breakaway layup by freshman guard Maddie Huff at the end of the quarter helped give the Eagles a 16-8 lead.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]As might be expected, the first half was a little ragged with multiple fouls, and the teams combined for 23 free throw attempts. Some of the rough play could be attributed to conditioning.
“Having to take off 19 days at the beginning of your season is something no one wants to do. The girls’ conditioning suffered as a result, but it is something we are working on every day in practice,” said Brown County coach Emily Lewellen.
Brown County tacked on another 17 points in quarter two, pushing the halftime score to 33-14. Sophomore forward Savannah Oden scored a couple of baskets midway through the quarter, and Huff closed out the half with two consecutive buckets of her own.
After a third quarter that saw the Eagles extend their lead, Eastern Greene picked up its defensive pressure in the fourth quarter and cut the Brown County lead to 13 with a minute to play. The T-birds outscored the Eagles 27-21 in the final frame, but their comeback attempt was simply too little, too late.
Lewellen, who notched her first win as a varsity coach, was pleased with her team’s performance. “Overall, I think we performed well. We had high energy and intensity,” she said. “The girls worked together as a team effectively and created opportunities for each other. We definitely had some missed opportunities, but for our first game back after weeks off, I am happy with our performance overall.”
Each team put three players in double figures. Abby Fleetwood led all scorers with 26, while Anna Fleetwood tallied 18 and Tipton added 11. Abigail Watson, sophomore center, grabbed nine rebounds for the Eagles.
Kenady Hudson led Eastern with 19. Brynlee Perkins and Indy Workman contributed 17 and 12, respectively.
The Eagles’ game with conference foe Owen Valley was very different than their game with Eastern Greene. The Patriots entered the contest having played seven games, including a huge win over Bloomington North just two nights before.
In a tightly contested game in which neither team ever led by more than six points, the Eagles outscored the Patriots 13-8 in the fourth quarter to grab a hard-fought 50-44 win.
“This game definitely increased my stress levels,” Lewellen said. “I’m very proud of the girls for putting it away at the end and for their determination to push through difficult moments.”
The Patriots simply had no answer for Abby Fleetwood. Three defenders took turns guarding the Brown County point guard who poured in 32 points, including a stellar 10-11 from the free throw line.
“Abby is just a remarkable athlete. Owen Valley realized pretty quickly that she commanded the court and repeatedly tried to shut her down,” said Lewellen about her sophomore play maker, who also led the team in steals, rebounds and deflections.
What impressed Lewellen the most, however, was Fleetwood’s composure. “Abby’s maturity showed through last night as she continued to persevere, despite their continued attempts to get in her head. She did not crumble under the pressure but, instead, remained collected and continued to dominate,” Lewellen added.
The Eagles led by six at the half, 27-21, but the Patriots outscored them 15-10 in the third to pull within one heading into the final quarter.
Fleetwood scored 10 of her team’s 13 fourth-quarter points, and went 6-6 from the line. Four of those six were testy one-and-one tosses that came in the last 20 seconds to ensure the win for the Eagles.
Both games were played in an empty Larry C. Banks Memorial Gymnasium. Under the current protocols, only coaches, athletes, officials and game personnel are allowed in the gym. That means no rowdy student section, no parents or grandparents for moral support, no band, and basically, no sense of normalcy.
Lewellen admits it is strange; “however, we are seeing it as a gift to even be able to play right now. It gives a sense of urgency to all our games that might not exist otherwise. We know that we might not be playing later on, so we try to make every game count.”
As the Eagles dig in and prepare for what looks to be a very rigorous schedule, Lewellen is encouraged by the growth she is seeing in her younger players.
“These girls impress me daily. They are driven, determined and focused. Every game we play, they self reflect, seeking ways to get better before the next game,” she said.
“Watson and Oden provide us the size we desperately need, battling underneath for rebounds and playing tough defense. Tipton plays a vital role as a main shooter and defensive powerhouse. Maddie Huff has been a pleasant surprise, transferring to Brown County from Whiteland this year and fitting right in on our varsity squad with her aggressiveness and speed.”
Lewellen feels fortunate to have the Fleetwood sisters, Abby and Anna, providing much needed leadership.
And although she knows she has no control over crowd size, gym atmosphere, and other variables, she does have a clear vision for her young squad.
“Our main goal is to outplay every team we face. We can’t change how tall we are, but we can make sure that we play harder than every team and run the floor every possession,” Lewellen said.
The Eagles travel to Greenwood on Wednesday, Dec. 16, and then return home for two weekend contests, hosting Cloverdale on Friday, Dec. 18, and West Vigo on Saturday, Dec. 19.
