SALEM

Brownstown Central’s boys basketball team never gave host Salem a chance Monday night.

The Braves emerged from the locker room in a full sprint, scoring on eight straight possessions to start the game and established an early and persistent double-digit lead en route to a 78-58 victory in the Class 3A Sectional 30 championship.

Monday’s victory gave Brownstown its 13th sectional title all-time and the eighth in head coach Dave Benter’s 19 seasons as head coach. It was Brownstown Central’s first sectional crown since 2013, when it completed a run of five straight titles beginning in 2009.

“This group hadn’t won a sectional, so this is special for them,” Benter said as his team cut down the nets. “Every (sectional title) is different. You get to see each of them through your players’ eyes. I could tell this group was hungry. After we lost in the sectional last year, a lot of people counted us out, saying that we missed our chance.”

The Braves (24-2) proved such doubts were unfounded, completing a three-game sweep in the sectional and defeating No. 10 Salem (21-3) for the second time this season.

Brownstown Central was led by seniors Carson Lambring, who finished with 28, and Cody Waskom, who ended with 26. However, as has become the pattern for this Braves team, the entire roster contributed.

Lambring was the source of the Braves’ early frenetic pace, scoring 13 first-quarter points and hitting three 3-pointers in a two-minute span that pushed Brownstown Central in front 22-14.

When Lambring cooled, it was Waskom’s turn. The lanky senior scored seven points in rapid fashion early in the second quarter to swell BC’s lead to 34-20.

But shortly after his offensive explosion, Waskom picked up his second foul and sat out the remaining 6:35 of the first half.

Salem sense an opportunity and immediately went on a 9-1 run to close the gap to 35-29 over the next three minutes.

Enter BC’s Everyman, an ever-changing face and role that appears whenever the Braves’ need a boost.

On Monday night, it was Cameron Eggersman, scoreless in sectional thus far, hitting a 3-pointer from the right baseline to restore a shaky Brownstown lead to 38-29.

Derek Rieckers also stepped forward, setting aside his usual rebounding leadership to instead take on the role of a point guard. Rieckers fed Eggersman for his 3-pointer, then followed by assisting a 3-pointer by Ty Maxie that suddenly had BC’s lead stretched into double-digits again at 41-29.

“It seems like every game when we really need a play, someone steps up,” Benter said. “It’s a different guy every night.”

Leading by 11 at halftime, BC sensed the title at hand but didn’t ask for the net-cutting scissors.

“We told our guys at halftime that an 11-point lead against Salem is like a three- or four-point lead against other teams,” Benter said. “They’re so explosive.”

The Braves heeded the warning and, after a brief 4-0 run by the Lions, unspooled a 12-2 run that stretched the lead to 56-39 and sealed the game.

“For about 28 minutes tonight, this was the perfect game we’ve been looking for all season,” Benter said.

Brownstown finished the night with 12 3-pointers and through three quarter had turned the ball over just three times.

Lambring made five 3s while shooting 10-for-17 from the field. In three sectional game, he scored a team-high 77 points.

Like the other nine seniors on Brownstown’s roster, Monday’s sectional title was four years in the making.

“I’m speechless,” Lambring said. “It’s very emotional for me. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I’ve spent countless hours in the gym, working. We all have. This is very exciting. The crowd was amazing. This was an awesome atmosphere.”

The published capacity of Salem’s gym is 3,003. Monday’s standing-room-only crowd appeared to exceed that number easily.

“We came out tonight ready,” Lambring continued. “We were mentally prepared. We knew we had to control their runs and answer right back.”

Brownstown did just that, starting just after the opening tip.

Ty Maxie joined Lambring and Waskom in double figures with 11 points, 9 of which came on 3-pointers. Gavin Bane followed with eight points, including two 3s.

Brownstown now turns its attention to Saturday’s Washington Regional, where Evansville Bosse (18-7) awaits.

“Bosse will be a huge challenge,” Benter said. “A lot of people picked them to win the state. But we’re going there to compete.”