BROWNSTOWN — Jack Benter scored a season-high 39 points to lead Brownstown Central’s boys basketball team to an easier-than-expected 84-60 victory over New Albany on Tuesday night.

The Braves (20-4) bookended the second quarter with impressive offensive runs, creating separation on the scoreboard and forcing New Albany to chase the home team.

BC started the second period with a 12-1 run to take a 29-20 lead with 6:18 to go in the first half. The Braves then closed the quarter with a 12-2 spurt that extended their lead to 46-31.

“We didn’t expect (a 24-point win),” BC head coach Dave Benter said. “We knew (New Albany) has a nice team and the game would be free-flowing. Jack started so hot that when New Albany took him away, our other guys needed some time to get going. But when they did, I thought they played really well.”

On his first five touches, Jack Benter showed his versatility, scoring on a layup, two free throws, a 3-pointer, a dunk and a mid-range jumper. He scored the Braves’ first 14 points and had 22 in the first half.

“When you get that first one to go in, you get into a rhythm,” the younger Benter said. “Shots just seem to go in.”

Benter made 14 of 22 shots, including three dunks and five 3-pointers. He now has 2,337 career points and moved into the No. 18 spot on the state’s all-time boys scoring list.

Parker Hehman ended with four assists and took sole possession of the school’s all-time career assist record, passing Jeff Neal. The senior also scored 17 points, knocking down two 3-pointers.

The sizable second-quarter lead allowed Brownstown to shrug off an 11-0 run by New Albany in the third quarter. The Bulldogs (14-6) narrowed the gap to 49-42 with 4:03 to go in the third period but never got closer.

“New Albany has a good team,” Jack Benter said. “They came ready to play, but every time they got the score down, we were able to respond.”

The Braves responded with a 7-0 outburst consisting of a Hehman fast-break layup, a Benter 3-pointer and a Benter jumper to restore a 14-point difference.

Brownstown’s largest lead was 28 at 84-56 after a Benter free throw with 1:43 left in the game.

Tuesday’s victory gives the Class 2A Braves another win over a Class 4A opponent. BC had nine games on its schedule this season against Class 4A competition and ended with a 6-3 record in those contests.

“You always want to win them all,” Jack Benter said, “but to go 6-3 against teams that are projected to be better than us, we’re pleased with that.”

In the evening’s exciting opening event, Brownstown Central’s JV squad survived its toughest test of the season and successfully kept its quest for a perfect record intact.

The younger Braves improved to 18-0 by withstanding a fourth-quarter New Albany comeback and defeating the Bulldogs 76-67 in overtime. BC built leads as great as 12 points before NA stormed back. The two teams traded the lead six times over the final 3:40 of regulation.

New Albany forced extra time with a banked-in 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to end the fourth period. Brownstown, however, started overtime quickly, getting a 3 from Lane Pendleton, two layups by Brock Dean and a 3 by Preston Garrison to take a 69-61 lead. The Braves never relinquished that advantage.

Pendleton led all scorers with 24 points, followed closely by Garrison’s 21.

Brownstown Central 84, New Albany 60

New Albany;19;12;17;12;—;60

Brownstown;20;26;19;19;—;84

New Albany (14-6): Rylan Schrink 7 2-2 17, Chris Lampkins 4 4-6 12, Jordan Treat 4 0-0 10, TJ Washington 1 4-4 7, Tre’Von Redd 2 0-1 5, James Knox 1 0-0 3, Ben Seigel 1 0-0 2, Braden Brewer 1 0-1 2, Braxton Mayfield 1 0-0 2, Pierre Thomas 0 0-0 0, Landen Kirk 0 0-0 0, Totals 22 10-14 60.

Brownstown Central (20-4): Jack Benter 14 6-7 39, Parker Hehman 6 3-3 17, Colby Hall 4 0-0 8, Micah Sheffer 2 2-5 8, Chace Coomer 2 1-1 7, Pierson Wheeler 1 0-0 3, Adam Stahl 1 0-0 2, Greg Hutcheson 0 0-0 0, Caiden Gwin 0 0-0 0, Lane Pendleton 0 0-0 0, Owen Wischmeier 0 0-0 0, Preston Garrison 0 0-0 0, Totals 30 12-16 84.

3-pointers: New Albany 6 (Treat 2, Redd, Schrink, Washington, Knox), Brownstown 12 (Benter 5, Hehman 2, Coomer 2, Sheffer 2, Wheeler)

Rebounds: New Albany 20 (Lampkins 5), Brownstown 34 (Benter 10)

Turnovers: New Albany 16, Brownstown 16

Fouls: New Albany 15, Brownstown 16

Junior varsity

Brownstown Central 76, New Albany 67

Brownstown Central (18-0): Lane Pendleton 24, Preston Garrison 21, Brock Dean 12, Owen Wischmeier 9, Kye Trueblood 4, Linkan Brittain 3, Kylis Brock 3

Indiana high school boys basketball career scoring leaders (top 20)

Source: Indiana High School Athletic Association website, ihsaa.org

1.	Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence, 1990	3,134
2.	Marion Pierce, Lewisville, 1961	3,019
3.	Deshaun Thomas, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 2010	3,018
4.	Luke Brown, Blackford, 2021	3,011
5.	Romeo Langford, New Albany, 2018	3,002
6.	Brody Boyd, Union (Dugger) 2000	2,632
7.	Rick Mount, Lebanon, 1966	2,595
8.	Eric Hunter, Tindley, 2018	2,583
9.	Trevon Bluiett, Park Tudor, 2014	2,568
10.	Connor Essegian, Central Noble, 2022	2,526
11.	Cooper Neese, Cloverdale, 2017	2,496
12.	Billy Shepherd, Carmel, 1968	2,465
13.	Jalen Moore, Cloverdale, 2018	2,440
14.	Alan Henderson, Brebeuf Jesuit, 1991	2,419
15.	James Blackmon, Jr., Marion, 2014	2,387
16.	Brooks Barnhizer, Lafayette Jefferson, 2021	2,366
17.	Mike Edwards, Greenfield, 1969	2,343
18.	Jack Benter, Brownstown Central, 2024 (still playing)	2,337
19.	Delray Brooks, Michigan City Rogers, 1984	2,324
20.	Brady Adkins, Morristown 1992	2,319