NORTHVIEW — Brandon Allman doesn’t get nervous before many games, but the head coach was nervous before Brownstown’s sectional matchup against Owen Valley on Tuesday night at Northview High School.

The Braves were tasked with a long bus ride after school, in addition to dealing with Reagan Martin, a 6-foot forward who can shoot the three ball as well as anyone on Owen Valley.

But the Braves quickly eliminated the nerves for Allman as they held Martin below her season average and walked away with a 46-30 victory to keep their season alive.

“I loved our team’s effort, intensity and focus,” Allman said. “Right before we came out, just the vibe I was getting from them, I knew they were ready to play.”

Brownstown’s hustle was apparent from the jump.

On the Braves’ second possession, after Andrea Bair opened the game with a layup, Brownstown got three-straight offensive rebounds that resulted in a Maddy Hackman 3-pointer.

Reagan Martin, who averages nearly 19 points per game for Owen Valley, hit two 3-pointers in the first quarter, but Brownstown was able to take a 14-11 lead after one.

The Braves started the second quarter on a 6-0 run, going up 20-11 and forcing an Owen Valley timeout.

Brownstown held the Patriots to just six points in the second quarter and took a 26-17 lead into halftime. Maddy Hackman led the Braves with 10 points at the break, Kalee Borden had seven, Hannah Stahl five and Andrea Bair four.

The Braves came out of halftime and extended its lead even more, taking a 12-point lead after the third quarter. The Braves ended the third quarter with a beautiful back-door screen set for Kelsey Schneider who laid it up and in.

“I thought our bench was great,” Allman said. “I thought that was some of the longest breaks I’ve been able to give girls.”

The fourth quarter was really where the Braves left no doubt. A long two from Stahl followed by a 3-pointer by Borden from the right wing gave Brownstown a 20-point lead, its largest of the game.

Allman was able to empty the bench in the final minutes as the Braves came away with the 16-point victory.

Hackman led the team in scoring with 14 points while Borden and Stahl each contributed 12 points.

“When I look down and see three girls in double figures, that’s a really good feeling for me,” Allman said. “Throw in a couple other role players scoring, that’s a good recipe for us.”

Owen Valley’s Martin was held to zero made field goals in the second half, but she made three free throws and only finished with 11 points.

“I’m gonna guess that’s probably the first half of basketball where she didn’t have a field goal in the half,” Allman said. “We were able to put three different bodies on her and be physical inside, and I think that wore her down a bit.”

The Braves also finished the game with a 22-13 advantage on the glass.

With the win, Brownstown (14-11) advances to the sectional semifinal back at Northview High School, where the Braves will take on West Vigo (10-13) with a trip to the sectional finals on the line.

Tonight’s games have been canceled due to inclement weather, so the schedule has been pushed back a day, meaning the Braves’ game against the Vikings could take place on Saturday as long as there are no more cancellations.