SELLERSBURG

Whichever team sank its free throws, or strung together a scoring run, in the fourth quarter would get the win.

In a game where 25 combined free throws missed their mark, and the ball seemed to seldom find the bottom of the net, Brownstown Central’s girls basketball team got it done from the floor.

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Brownstown went on an 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter to distance themselves before earning a 38-31 victory against Silver Creek on Saturday in a Mid-Southern Conference game.

In the first quarter, Braves junior Kristen Stuckwisch took the bulk of the responsibility, scoring five of the team’s eight points.

Freshman Ashley Schorer broke an 8-8 tie to start the second quarter with a pair of free throws and Grace Jaynes added a layup as the Braves led 12-8 at the 5:27-mark.

With 19 ticks on the clock, Jaynes added another basket to put the Braves up 19-14 at the break.

Following intermission, it was a defensive struggle on the hardwood.

The Braves would just score four points while the Dragons tallied seven in the third quarter.

A full court press stifled the Braves’ ball movement.

Following baskets from Schorer and Jaynes, Payton Farmer — who is seeing a minutes increase coming off an injury — got back-to-back layups to fall as the Braves led 31-21 with 3:51 left.

“I thought we moved the ball better against their press in the fourth quarter than the third quarter,” Braves coach Karla Rieckers said. “In the third quarter, we kind of stood and didn’t attack the press the way we wanted to. We kind of reversed the ball and they trapped us. We wanted to look long, and that’s what led to a couple of quick baskets underneath.”

Abby May and Lauren Polston drained 3-pointers to keep the Dragons within reach, but the Braves finished the final 1:06 by making five of six free throws.

At the line Brownstown (8-6, 4-3 MSC) went 15-for-27 while Silver Creek (4-10, 1-5 MSC) finished 10-for-23.

Jaynes topped the Braves’ scoring with 12 and Polston led the Dragons with eight points.

“Anytime you play on a Saturday afternoon, I think it’s hard,” Rieckers said. “We battled the entire game. It’s a win and we move forward.”

The Braves are on a three-game winning streak after dropping five straight.