BORDEN BASKETBALL: One for Cody

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Borden senior Cody Bachman drives into the paint during Saturday's 59-50 Borden Sectional championship victory over Lanesville. Photo by Dan Vollstedt

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March 5, 2013

BORDEN BASKETBALL: One for Cody

Bachman stars in Braves’ sectional title run

By CHRIS STONER sports@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Tue Mar 05, 2013, 11:49 PM EST

BORDEN — After he missed last year’s sectional championship run with a broken leg, Borden’s seniors wanted to win another title for — and with — classmate Cody Bachman.

A year ago, a freak practice accident sidelined Bachman. On Saturday, he not only helped the Braves to their fourth Borden Sectional title in six years, he seemed to will them to victory.

“I think he’s playing with a lot of will to win,” Borden coach Doc Nash said. “Words can’t describe how hard he played and the amount of willpower he showed out there. It was pure will to win.”

Bachman finished with team bests of 18 points and eight rebounds as Borden defeated Lanesville 59-50 in the sectional championship game.

“It felt good to do it with my teammates in front of all of those fans,” Bachman said.

Bachman’s teammates probably would have satisified if he had just been along for the ride to another sectional championship. But watching him take over in the fourth quarter against Lanesville helped make the moment even more special.

“That was huge,” senior Michael Lynch said. “He came up big for us in the championship game. It’s good to have him out there with us.”

“He was just a cheerleader last year, and this year, he was probably our best player,” senior Billy Kirchgessner said. “He was a big part of [winning the sectional] and I’m sure it meant a lot to him.”

“You could tell he wanted that game,” senior Jalen McCoy said. “He’s one of our best players and he pretty much took over that game. It was important for us not only to win the championship, but to do it for him since he wasn’t part of it [last year].”

After the Braves led most of the first half against the Eagles, Lanesville came back and took a 39-38 lead after three quarters.

The two teams went back-and-forth early in the fourth quarter before Bachman made the play of the night. Up 45-43 with under five minutes to play, the senior powered past the Lanesville defense for a 3-point play.

Borden never trailed again.

“It was a huge momentum swing,” Nash said.

“I’ve never heard the gym so loud,” McCoy said. “That was pretty much the turning point in the game.”

Last year, Borden beat Orleans — Saturday’s first-round opponent in the Loogootee Regional — 46-40 in the regular season with Bachman in the fold.

With Bachman out in the regional rematch, the Bulldogs got revenge with a 68-48 blowout win.

“Who knows what would have happened if we had had him last year?” McCoy speculated. “So hopefully we can make a run with him this year.”