MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – What was a four-point deficit midway through the third quarter quickly got out of hand as top-ranked Christ Presbyterian Academy pulled away to beat Brainerd 77-43 in a Class AA state basketball tournament quarterfinal here at Middle Tennessee State University.
The Panthers made just 15-percent of their field goals in the deciding second half, while CPA blistered the nets by making 19 of 23 (83 percent). Junior Braxton Blackwell, last year’s Mr. Basketball award winner and a finalist for the award again this season, led the Lions with 31 points, 9 rebounds.
Sophomore point guard Kentrell Evans led Brianerd with 11 points and Jesse Walker added 10.