Central boys' basketball coach Rick Rogers wore a purple hooded sweatshirt to what he deemed a "dress rehearsal" for Monday night.
Brainerd toppled Rogers' Purple Pounders 68-60 in the Region 3-AA championship game Thursday night at East Ridge, but both teams have more they'd like to accomplish this season.
"I hope we get to see them again," Rogers said of the Panthers. "We could be the two best teams in the state in Class AA."
But they'll both have to win in Monday's sectionals to advance to the state championship tournament in Murfreesboro. Central will travel to York Institute, the Region 4-AA champion, while the Panthers will host Upperman.
"Getting back to state isn't the goal," Brainerd coach LeVar Brown said. "We want to win it."
Brainerd played well enough in front of a standing room-only crowd at Catherine Neely Gymnasium to even its record against Central this season. The Pounders (19-6) won the first two games, and now the Panthers (26-5) have won the most recent two matchups.
"This has been a long season," Brown said as he jokingly slumped to the floor outside the Panthers' locker room. "We had to fight to get the record we've got."
Jessie Walker, who earned tournament MVP honors, led Brainerd with 19 points. Kentrell Evans added 16.
Central, playing short-handed without star guard Ryan Montgomery (ankle injury), was led by 22 points from Terron Hayes and 16 from Emmanuel Lane.
"We came in a little thin tonight," Rogers said. "I saw our endurance decrease in the second half because their continuous pressure wore us down. I'd say (Montgomery) is worth at least eight points."
Vesta Melvin Jr. provided the Panthers with the quick start they were searching for by hitting three 3-pointers in the first six minutes to help Brainerd take a 22-17 lead after one quarter. The Panthers led 34-29 at halftime.
Then the defensive pressure all over the court caught up with the Pounders.
"We really got tired," Hayes said. "We started making mental mistakes."
Brainerd turned a 40-38 lead midway through the third quarter into a 50-38 lead entering the final period.
"Our defense stepped up and we got more rebounds and started running them off the 3-point line," Evans said. "Then we ran our sets well and took time off the clock."
Time hasn't expired on either team's season.
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6484. Follow him on Twitter @UchiyamaCTFP