Braves hoping to clinch first MSC title since 2015

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No one expected this edition of the Brownstown Central girls basketball team to be on the cusp of clinching a part of the Mid-Southern Conference title.

At the beginning of the season, most of the attention in the MSC was focused on Salem and Silver Creek. Both are top-10 teams in Class 3A, have a bucket load of excellent players and are thought to make deep postseason runs. 

Not many within the conference expected the Braves to have much of a shot at finishing on top, and that’s the message coach Brandon Allman has been using to fuel his team. 

The Braves clinched their 20th win of the season on Saturday for the first time since the 2011-12 season. 

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They’re also the second team in Jackson County to cross the 20-win threshold this season. Area rival Trinity Lutheran did so last week with a senior night win over Class 4A Floyd Central 

BC went on to the sectional final that year, falling to MSC rival Scottsburg by 15 points.

Brownstown Central has aspirations of winning their first sectional crown since 2011, but for now their focus is on Thursday’s regular-season finale with North Harrison, who stands in the way of the Braves’ chances of a league championship.

A winning result could be a big boon for the program.

"I think it’d be a big deal for these girls," Allman said on potentially clinching a share of the MSC. "I don’t think they’ve won conference in four years and it’d be such a great payoff for all the blood, sweat and tears they’ve put in this season."

The Cougars have given the Braves fits over the past several seasons, and have won five straight. 

In fact, the last time the Braves defeated the Cougars was when they won their last MSC title. 

The Cougars may not be the same juggernaut they’ve been in years past, but the Braves will still need to bring their A-game if they want to leave Ramsey with a win. 

"North Harrison is a really good team," Allman said. "I’ve seen them several times now, and we’ve got to come in and play our best."

There’s no extra pressure heading into this game says Allman, who is imploring his girls to keep doing what they’ve done all season because anything different would just throw off them off.

A conference crown would be a great achievement for the Braves and one they’ll undoubtedly point to as something to fight for every season. 

Yet, win or lose, this season won’t be defined by on their placement within the MSC or even by the result of one game. 

"We’ll take a loss, we’ll learn from it and we’ll get ready to play for a sectional," Allman said. "If anything, it’ll make them even hungrier for a sectional title. We’re not going to let one loss define us no matter what."

Thursday’s title tilt is set for 7:30 p.m. at North Harrison High School. 

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