(Billy Smith pictured in the spring of 2021)

 

In a quarterfinal of the 2022 Marion County Tournament, Brebeuf traveled east on 86th Street to play North Central. On Tuesday, the Panthers (7-3) beat Roncalli 66-43 in the first round, the Braves (9-2) defeated Franklin Central 74-54.

 

David Lloyd and Blake Fleming helped North Central to a fast start. The duo scored seven points in the first four minutes, and the Panthers led 9-5. Early on, the game was played at a quick pace, and that gave Brebeuf plenty of scoring opportunities.

 

Billy Smith, a senior scoring 19 points per game on 37 percent three-point shooting and signed with Miami of Ohio, knocked down back-to-back threes to tie the game at 13. Smith was a problem for North Central most of the game.

 

Jahmyre Jackson’s defense helped North Central to finish the first quarter well. His steals and assists powered a quick 7-0 run as Joey Brown, Lloyd, and Davis Olson scored for the Panthers. Turnovers bit Brebeuf all game.

 

Near the end of the first quarter, Paul Stubblefield came off the Brebeuf bench to boost the Braves. His play, along with Smith’s scoring, helped Brebeuf go on a 9-0 run to end the opening period into the second quarter. Brebeuf led 22-20 early in the second.

 

In the second quarter, Smith scored eight points – two threes and a fastbreak layup. That gave him 14 of Brebeuf’s 30 first-half points. North Central did not have many options to slow him.

 

Olson’s scoring and rebounding helped steady North Central in the second. He was all over the floor for six points and four rebounds in the first 16 minutes.

 

Shortly after halftime, Zach Reed scored three points, and Dirin Birhiray scored to push Brebeuf’s lead to 35-28. After many North Central substitutions, Reed found Birhiray for another score. The Braves led by nine, and North Central went scoreless for more than three and a half minutes.

 

Finally, Jackson found CJ Jolliffe for a North Central three. The Panthers made a prolonged run as Brebeuf only scored two points in the third quarter's final five and a half minutes. North Central outscored the Braves 12-2 over the stretch to take a 40-39 lead to the fourth.

 

After Lloyd scored to put North Central up 42-39, Reed threw the ball ahead to Alex Gothard for a corner three-pointer. Moments later, Stubblefield grabbed a rebound on one end and scored on the other. Suddenly, it looked like Brebeuf was going to be all right.

 

Neither team scored for nearly three minutes before Jolliffe hit Olson for a North Central score. After Brown broke the tie with a free throw for North Central, he set up Jolliffe for another bucket. The Panthers led 47-44 with under three minutes to play.

 

Brown tallied four points and four rebounds early in the game but was quiet in the second and third quarters. He reemerged in the fourth to give the Panthers a push. Brown had many great flashes as a defender, rebounder, and playmaker.

 

Down five with 30 seconds to play, Todd Howard went to Smith in the paint. He scored with ease after Reis Butcher fed him the ball.

 

Fleming converted two North Central free throws on the other end to push the Panther lead back to 53-48. This time, Smith buried a deep three-pointer to bring Brebeuf within two points. That gave him 21 points for the game.

 

Brebeuf sent Fleming to the line again with 11.6 seconds left. He made the first but missed the second to keep it a one-possession game. However, Brown used his length and athleticism to get to the miss for North Central.

 

After he missed the first, Brown’s second free throw bounced high on the rim multiple times before falling. That pushed it to four points with only a handful of seconds left.

 

North Central stole the ball as Brebeuf brought it up to seal the 55-51 victory.

 

North Central plays Southport at Southport in Friday’s Marion County Tournament semifinal.

 

Lloyd led North Central with 14 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Jolliffe and Fleming each scored 11. Olson added ten points and five rebounds. Brown tallied eight points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

 

Smith’s 21 points led Brebeuf. He was 5-7 from three-point range. He also grabbed four rebounds. Stubblefield recorded eight points and four rebounds. Gothard and Birhiray scored six. Marial Puou ended with two points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals. Reed contributed five points and five assists.

 

Brebeuf committed 16 turnovers in a relatively low-possession game. North Central only had nine.