The layup drill is supposed to stop once a basketball game tips off, but for Brainerd, Friday night's Best of Preps Tournament debut was one big drive to the hoop.
The Panthers (9-1) handed Ringgold its first loss in eight games by getting 46 points off layups, dunks or rebound putbacks in a 68-46 win. Brainerd will play Baylor in tonight's second boys' semifinal, where Panthers coach Levar Brown can only hope for more of what he saw Friday.
"We knew we wanted to go inside -- that's our strength," Brown said. "With Da'V Moore, Jesse Walker and Miles Cothran, that was our game plan, to go at the rim. I wasn't too happy on the defensive end because they had too many good shots, but overall we played OK."
The Panthers had 11 players score, Moore leading the way with 19 points and sparking a second-quarter surge that gave the hard-pressing team control of the game. Moore, who often starts, came off the bench Friday to score nine consecutive points in the second period as Brainerd took a 31-20 lead into halftime.
The lead was just 13 after a Kile Sholl 3-pointer three minutes into the second half, but the Panthers ended the period on a 12-2 run -- with two layups and two putbacks included -- to seize control for good. Brown's frequent substitutions and superior depth finally wore the Tigers down.
"Our depth was tremendous," Brown said. "It's good we get our young kids in early. Most of our team is sophomores, so to get them a lot of game experience is going to help us in the long run."
Ringgold, led by Mac Brower's 19 points and 13 from Sholl, were out-rebounded by 10 and committed an uncharacteristic 19 turnovers.
"I thought we played a little timid inside, but they can do that to you because they're so long and athletic," Ringgold coach Greg Elkins said. "We scrapped and stayed in it for a while, but we let it get away in the third. We found out how much work we still have to do, and hopefully tomorrow we can come out and play better."
Freshman Jesse Walker added 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds for Brainerd.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.