BROWNSTOWN — A slow start couldn’t keep Brownstown Central’s boys basketball team from continuing its remarkable run on Friday night.

After being limited to just seven first-quarter points, the Braves (18-4) regrouped with a strong effort over the remaining three quarters to pull away from Bedford North Lawrence (12-6) in an eventually comfortable 71-49 victory.

The win is BC’s ninth straight. Since enduring three losses in a four-game stretch in late December, the Braves have strung together their impressive streak with wins over two conference frontrunners (Jeffersonville in the Hoosier Hills and Greensburg in the Eastern Indiana), a win over the state’s biggest school (Carmel) and four Mid-Southern Conference wins, including defeating second-place Silver Creek.

“There haven’t been many breaks in our schedule this year,” BC head coach Dave Benter said. “If you look at Sagarin schedule strength, we’re way ahead of other small schools. That’s what we intended. It makes you better, the better teams you play. Tonight, if we hadn’t played the physical teams we’ve played, we may have let this slip away. But we regrouped in the second half focused on what we have to do.”

Torrid 5-for-5 3-point shooting early in the third quarter allowed Bedford to close a one-time nine-point for Brownstown down to a narrow 38-36 spread.

That’s when the Braves constructed an 11-0 run to take control. A follow-up by Jack Benter, a 3-pointer by Parker Hehman, an and-one by Micah Sheffer and another 3 by Hehman over a two-minute stretch gave BC a 49-36 lead that BNL could never overcome.

“We thought it might be a game of spurts, then we finally got going offensively,” coach Benter said of the third quarter.

Hehman led Brownstown with 21 points, all on 7-for-11 3-point shooting. Jack Benter followed with 16 points, while Colby Hall added 13. Adam Stahl scored all eight of his points around the basket in the fourth quarter. Chace Coomer ended with seven points, and Sheffer had six.

“I thought Parker was fantastic all night,” Dave Benter said. “I thought Colby and Chace were fantastic, too. Adam was really good in the second half, and it was good to see Micah Sheffer play well in the second half.”

Bedford was paced by Patric Matson’s game-high 23 on 8-for-14 shooting from the field, including 6-for-9 from long range.

Though Jack Benter’s scoring was lighter than normal, he once again approached triple-double territory by grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out seven assists. The senior made seven of 17 shots, including 1-for-8 from 3-point range.

“He’s got to figure out ways to help us win, and he did that tonight,” Dave Benter said. “There are going to be nights when the shots aren’t going. He hasn’t had many of those for a while, so it was good to see him, especially in the second half, come out focused and energized.”

The 16 points were still enough to continue Jack Benter’s ascent within the record books. His career total now stands at 2,267, inching past the Jackson County career scoring mark set by Trinity’s Bailey Tabeling (2,266 points) last year.

Benter’s total now puts him at No. 23 on the all-time Indiana high school boys basketball scoring list, one spot ahead of Austin’s Anthony Winchester (2,256 points), giving Benter the all-time scoring leader title in the Mid-Southern Conference.

“It’s a cool thing,” Dave Benter said of his son. “To be in the company that he’s with, scoring-wise, is pretty amazing. You’re talking about some of the best players ever to play in the state of Indiana.”

Friday’s game was preceded by a Senior Night ceremony that included four Brave players: Benter, Hehman, Stahl and Caiden Gwin. Coach Benter said he’s most impressed with his seniors’ locker room leadership as the season comes to a close.

“Our seniors are really focused on what’s at stake and what’s ahead for our team,” he said.

In the night’s preliminary matchup, Brownstown’s JV squad (16-0) kept its perfect season intact with a 56-46 win over BNL.

The Braves built periodic double-digit leads only to see the Stars persistently come back. BNL cut the lead to two points late in the third period before consecutive 3-pointers by Brock Dean, one of which he converted into a four-point play, restored a comfortable BC lead.

Dean led all scorers with 19 points, followed by Lane Pendleton’s 15. Kye Trueblood and Owen Wischmeier each added seven points for the Braves.

Brownstown Central 71, Bedford NL 49

Bedford NL;8;16;15;10;—;49

Brownstown;7;23;24;17;—;71

Bedford NL (12-6): Patric Matson 8 1-1 23, Noah Godlevske 4 0-0 11, Kline Woodward 2 0-0 4, Isaiah Sasser 2 0-0 4, Dax Short 2 0-0 4, Quncy Pickett 1 0-0 3, Trace Rynders 0 0-0 0, Maddox Ray 0 0-0 0, Jonah Bailey 0 0-0 0, Totals 19 1-1 49.

Brownstown Central (18-4): Parker Hehman 7 0-0 21, Jack Benter 7 1-1 16, Colby Hall 4 5-6 13, Adam Stahl 4 0-1 8, Chace Coomer 3 0-0 7, Micah Sheffer 2 1-1 6, Brock Dean 0 0-2 0, Caiden Gwin 0 0-0 0, Pierson Wheeler 0 0-0 0, Greg Hutcheson 0 0-0 0, Lane Pendleton 0 0-0 0, Owen Wischmeier 0 0-0 0, Preston Garrison 0 0-0 0, Linkan Brittain 0 0-0 0, Totals 27 7-11 71.

3-pointers: Bedford NL 10 (Matson 6, Godlevske 3, Pickett), Brownstown 10 (Hehman 7, Benter, Coomer, Sheffer).

Rebounds: Bedford NL 23 (Matson 7), Brownstown 37 (Benter 11).

Turnovers: Bedford NL 13, Brownstown 5.

Fouls: Bedford NL 14, Brownstown 4.

Junior Varsity

Brownstown Central 56, Bedford NL 46

Brownstown Central (16-0): Brock Dean 19, Lane Pendleton 15, Kye Trueblood 7, Owen Wischmeier 7, Linkan Brittain 4, Preston Garrison 4.