The heartbeat of the Brainerd boys’ basketball program continues to grow louder as the postseason nears.
After all, Levar Brown-led groups have shown poise down the stretch with a pair of state-tournament runs and a finals appearance not too long ago.
Hitting on their No. 1 key to success, the Panthers forced 23 turnovers in a 53-40 home victory over East Ridge for their seventh consecutive District 6-AA victory Tuesday night.
“We are not athletically skilled enough to score a lot of points and to beat you with pure shooting,” Brown said. “We have to play defense and cause a lot of turnovers to get extra possessions.”
Since losing to Red Bank on Jan. 10, Brainerd has bounced back to win eight of its last nine contests. A team that returned only two players from last season has begun to jell together.