Big win over Livingston puts Brainerd in state tourney
Brainerd rolls into 3rd straight state tourney
The homemade sign — large, blue letters reading “First stop Brainerd, next stop state!” — had hung near the Livingston Academy student section since before the game tipped off. By game’s end the paper banner, along with the Wildcats season, was crumpled in a heap on the floor of Brainerd’s High/Jackson gym, where the Panthers had rolled to a 74-55 win in a Class AA sectional.
As the crowd emptied the stands, a Panthers assistant coach swept the wadded-up sign from the floor and said in the general direction of Livingston fans, “Y’all can take that sign back home with you.”
The impressive win advances Brainerd (29-5) to the boys’ state tournament at Middle Tennessee State University for a third consecutive season. It will be next week.
“We couldn’t seem to get in a groove early,” said Panthers senior post Jessie Walker, who scored 16 first-half points and finished with a game-high 28. “We’re at the point now where every game is win or go home, so that second half we played like it was our last game. We played with a lot of heart, and we knew if we just kept playing hard good things would happen.”
Brainerd pulled away late without the help of the pressing defensive style the program is noted for. It relied instead on a half-court defense that forced the Wildcats (19-15) into eight straight possessions with either a missed shot or a turnover. Brainerd did not allow Livingston Academy an offensive rebound during that stretch.
“Our press isn’t as lethal as it has been because we’ve lost two guys that really got after people,” Brainerd coach Levar Brown said. “But we can still play pretty tough defense.
“We got this win because two of our senior leaders, Jessie Walker and Kentrell Evans, a couple of all-state players, really took over for us. Jessie is so good at cleaning up plays around the glass, and Kentrell is the one who settles the other guys down and runs the show. As he goes, we go.”
Even as Livingston made enough early shots to remain close through the better part of three quarters, Evans continually encouraged his team to remain calm, and he either found open shooters for easy scores or hit key shots himself.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence going back to the state tournament. We’ve been in that atmosphere and know how hard you have to play to move on.”
— KENTRELL EVANS
“We’ve been in a lot of big games and won against all types of teams, so there was no need for any of us to get rattled,” said Evans, who scored 12 points and made the first of three consecutive 3-pointers to kick-start a Panthers scoring run that put the game away. “We just weren’t making the open shots early, so we had to keep playing tough defense.
“Once we knocked down a couple of shots and got some confidence, everybody started to feed off that.”
The Wildcats dictated the pace of the game early, leading for much of the first quarter. The lead changed hands six times in the first nine minutes before Brainerd took the lead for good on a putback by Walker.
Brainerd built an eight-point edge by halftime, but although the margin never again dipped below six, Livingston remained within striking distance until the final minute of the third quarter. The Panthers scored back-to-back baskets to close out the quarter and did not allow the Wildcats to score again until less than four minutes remained in the game.
And while the Wildcats were failing to score, the Panthers were lighting it up, posting 18 consecutive points.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence going back to the state tournament,” added Evans, who helped lead the Panthers to a runner-up finish last year. “We’ve been in that atmosphere and know how hard you have to play to move on. Really, we just have to keep playing Brainerd basketball.”