SOUTHPORT— Back in November, Coach Dave Benter had a team meeting with his Brownstown Central basketball team and told them if they worked hard this winter that something special could happen for them at the end of the season.

The Braves made that goal become a reality at Southport on Saturday when they defeated Park Tudor 50-49, and Parke Heritage 66-56 to win the Southport Class 2A Semi state to advance to the state finals at Indianapolis.

The Braves (27-4) will play Wapahani (26-2) at Gainbridge Field House at 12:45 p.m, on Saturday, March 30th.

This will be Benter’s third trip to the state finals with the others coming in 2009 and 2004.Benter said the Braves had to beat two good teams to advance.

“We had two good efforts,” he said. “We had two different styles. Tonight (Parke Heritage) was just a more skilled team. They shot the ball so well the first half. We didn’t guard very well but they had a lot to do with it.

“They spaced us out and made shots.

Jack Benter made sure the Braves stayed in the lead when he hit three 3-pointers and scored 13 points in the first period to help his team to an 18-16 lead.

PH held a 15-14 lead before Benter made a layup and Lane Pendleton hit a 3-pointer to put the Braves on top entering the second period.

Benter stayed hot in the second period with 12 points to spark the Braves to a 35-31 lead at the half.

The third period proved to be the difference maker when Parker Hehman and Micah Sheffer made 3s in the first 2:04 of the third to boost the Braves’ lead to 41-31.

Chace Coomer added another three, and Benter closed the third-period scoring for a 49-35 lead going into the fourth.

The Braves outscored the Wolves 14-4 in the third and Coach Benter credited the defense.

“I thought in the second half we were much better defensively. We may not have been as good offensively, but we were much better defensively.

“I thought we controlled the backboards the whole night, and I thought that was a big difference in the game.”

The Braves held a 26-10 advantage in rebounds with Benter grabbing six, and Sheffer and Adam Stahl five each. The Wolves couldn’t get closer than nine points in the fourth.

Benter had another amazing game scoring the ball making four 3s, eight deuces and 10 free throws for 38 points.

“It’s really enjoyable,” the senior said. “(Going to state) is something you always dream of as a kid, so to be able to do that means a lot.”

He was not feeling well during the game against Park Tudor.

“I felt a lot better tonight,” Benter said. “I got an IV and I had a lot more energy tonight.”

Treigh Schelsky topped the Wolves (23-6) with 17 points. The Braves shot 21-for-41 from the floor.

“We came out in the second half and Micah, Chase, Parker all those guys shot the basketball with confidence,” Coach Benter said. “We’ve felt from day 0ne that we had a special team. We felt like we had all the pieces we needed. It sure hasn’t been easy with all the injuries and sickness, but our guys have really persevered.

“We played two different styles today and we just kept grinding and kept competing and I’m really proud of our guys.”

Braves edge Panthers

The morning game came right down to the buzzer. Colby Hall made a free throw with 1:31 remaining to put the Braves on top 50-49.

Panthers Coach Tim Adams had his team hold the ball until seven seconds remained.

The Braves had two fouls “to give” and fouled the Panthers who had to take the ball out of bounds with 6.4 and 3.7 seconds remaining.

After the final foul, the Panthers got the ball into Hudson Horvath, whose shot was off target and the Braves advanced.

Coach Benter said he was glad to see the Panthers take time off the clock because his team was tired from having played against PT’s man-to-man pressure throughout the game.

“We had the lead,” Coach Benter said. “We had some tired guys and had two fouls to give. With Jack being sick and Colby being banged up we were having trouble scoring. We made a decision just to sit back and let them hold the ball, especially with our two fouls to give late.”

Benter and Sheffer each scored two baskets in the first period but the Panthers led 15-13 as Horvath scored eight points.

Hehman made two 3’s and Coomer added a trio early in the second period when the Braves took a 24-17 lead and they were on top 31-27 at the break.

The Braves led throughout the third period, 44-35 going into the fourth.

Benter topped the Braves with 12 points, and Hehman and Sheffer each scored 10.

“We just had guys make big plays at different times. We have a day where we don’t shoot the basketball well and we still find a way to win,” Benter said.

“They are such a good rebounding team, and the turnovers were almost even. That is a really good basketball team that we just beat.”

Horvath scored 21 for the Panthers.

Southport Semistate

Championship

Brownstown Central 66, Parke Heritage 56

Brownstown;18;17;14;17;-66

Parke Heritage;16;15;4;21;-56

Brownstown Central (27-4)- Parker Hehman 2 5-5 8, Jack Benter 12 10-14 38, Chace Coomer 3 0-0 8, Micah Sheffer 1 0-0 3, Adam Stahl 2 1-2 5, Colby Hall 2 1-2 5, Lane Pendleton 1 0-0 3, Pierson Wheeler 0 0-0 0, Greg Hutcheson 0 0-0 0, Caiden Gwin 0 0-0 0, Carter Covert 0 0-0 0, Owen Wischmeier 0 0-0 0, totals 21 16-21 66

Parke Heritage (24-6) – Max Dowd 5 1-2 14, Brayden Luce 4 2-2 12, Renn Harper 3 1-2 9, Treigh Schelsky 5 4-4 17, Carter Crum 1 0-0 2, Brenden Goins 1 0-0 2, totals 19 8-10 56

3-Point Goals: Brownstown (Benter 4, Coomer 2, Sheffer, Hehman), PH (Dowd 3, Schelsky 3, Luce 2, Harper 2)

Rebounds- Brownstown 26 (Benter 6, Hall 5, Stahl 5), PH 10 (Crum 5)

Turnovers- Brownstown 9, PH 6

Fouls- Brownstown 12, PH 16

First round

Brownstown Central 50, Park-Tudor 49

Brownstown;13;18;13;6;-50

Park Tudor;15;12;6;16-;49

Brownstown (26-4)- Hehman 4 0-0 10, Benter 6 0-0 12, Coomer 2 0-0 6, Sheffer 4 0-2 10, Stahl 1 1-2 3, Hall 3 1-2 7, Wheeler 1 0-0 2, Pendleton 0 0-0 0, Hutcheson 0 0-0 0, totals 21 2-6 50

Park Tudor (20-6)- Kamon Washington 6 0-0 13, Hudson Horvath 8 4-4 21, Eli Bennett 1 0-2 2, KJ Mark 2 1-2 5, Montell Johnson 3 0-0 6, Kaylen Smith 1 0-0 2, totals 19 5-8 49

3-Point Goals Brownstown (Hehman 2, Coomer 2, Sheffer 2), PT (Horvath 5, Washington)

Rebounds: Brownstown 26 (Sheffer 9, Benter 8), PT 20 (Washington 6)

Fouls: Brownstown 10, PT 10

Turnovers: Brownstown 12, PT10