ELLETTSVILLE
Brownstown Central’s Clay Chastain stood alone in a corner and fired 3-pointer after 3-pointer during Friday night’s sectional semifinal.
He hit one, which is pretty typical for the senior sharpshooter, but then he hit another.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryAnd then another.
It got to the point where Chastain simply couldn’t miss as he led the Braves with 27 points and to a 56-41 victory over Brown County and into tonight’s sectional final.
“For the last month, his all-around game has gotten a lot better,” Brownstown Central coach Dave Benter said of Chastain. “A lot of our guys have had trouble scoring the basketball … and then Clay just got in a rhythm.
“He got us going and got us some separation.”
However, the Braves second night of hot shooting didn’t get off to a good start.
Even though they shot well over 45 percent from the field for the second game in a row, the Braves didn’t hit their first field goal of the game until the 4:31 mark of the first quarter.
But once they did, it spelled doom for the Eagles.
Benter lamented his team starting off slow and stated that kind of start can’t happen in the final tonight. Still, he was pleased his team’s tried-and-true defense keeping them in the game until they got hot from the field.
Brownstown Central finding their shooting stroke couldn’t have come at a better time.
Chastain’s big night could just be a microcosm of the Braves getting confidence in their offensive ability after such a frustrating start to the season.
“We started off 1-7 on the year and we were all frustrated because it’s no fun losing,” Benter said. “To our guys credit, they’ve really hung around and I think we’ve been 9-8 since that time.
“We’re playing so much better offensively, and earlier we were just getting by defensively and on the backboard, and you’ve got to be able to score the ball.”
Benter said Tuesday’s game might have been the best 32 minutes his team’s played all year. On Friday, he thought the third quarter against the Eagles was the best period they’ve had all season.
Defensively the Braves held Brown County to just four points, swelling their advantage to 21 points at the end of the stanza.
Yet, Brown County wouldn’t go away, whittling the deficit down to 12 in the fourth quarter and finding some life before the Braves snuffed it out.
Amidst all of the positive moments in the game, Benter wasn’t happy with the way his team handled the game late and let Brown County feel as though they could come back. Saying his players weren’t sure whether or not to take the open layup or bleed clock, he wants his players to make better decisions tonight.
Against a much tougher opponent, they’ll have to if they want to take home the sectional trophy.
“If we’ve got the lead and they’re giving us baskets, we’ve got to be strong with the ball and attack the basket,” Benter said.
Chastain went 7-for-10 from the 3-point line for the lion’s share of his points. Isaiah Wineinger made the only other 3 for the Braves and finished with 13.
Derek Thompson had nine, getting it all done at the rim or at the free-throw line, and Adian Schroer chipped in seven.
Brownstown Central out-rebounded the Eagles 32-24 in the game with Wineinger topping the charts with seven. He also dished out a team-best six assists.
The Braves will go for the 14th sectional title tonight back at Edgewood High School at 7:30 p.m.