NEW CASTLE – Crispus Attucks made its first trip to the Hall of Fame Classic at New Castle Fieldhouse one to remember.

The victorious Tigers, still giddy after a runaway 76-51 victory over Brownstown Central in the championship game Saturday night, placed their hands on coach Chris Hawkins’ bald head in the postgame trophy photo. Hawkins had no complaints after Saturday’s performance, which included a 69-59 victory earlier in the day against Kokomo and Kansas recruit Flory Bidunga.

“A lot of great teams and a lot of great players played here,” Hawkins said. “That’s what we talked about in the locker room was leaving that legacy. You’ve got to be able to come to tournaments like this and win and the only way to do that is to beat a gauntlet of teams. It means a lot to our district, our school and our players. I’m proud to be their coach, but we’re not satisfied.”

A loaded slate awaits, including the City tournament in January and a loaded Class 4A Sectional 10 down the road in a couple months. But the Tigers showed Saturday they will be tough out in both tourneys.

Crispus Attucks (9-3) traded blows in the first half with a Brownstown Central team that was playing without its star player, Purdue recruit Jack Benter, who sprained his ankle and was ruled out on Friday after attempting to practice Wednesday and Thursday. The Tigers led 36-30 at halftime behind 20 points from tournament most valuable player Mason Lewis.

Then … the roof caved in on Brownstown Central. Crispus Attucks rocked and rolled to a 28-5 third quarter, turning Braves’ turnovers into layups on the other end.

“Live ball turnovers,” Brownstown Central coach Dave Benter said of the third quarter. “I don’t know if we were tired or it was our reactions but we still felt good at halftime. We felt we had to limit our live ball turnovers and we didn’t do that in the second half. I don’t know if it was emotionally tired after we started getting our tail ends kicked or physical exhaustion.”

Lewis finished with 23 points to lead Attucks, which also received major contributions from junior guard Chris Hurt (17 points, four rebounds, three assists) and senior guard Ronald Rutland III (15 points, four assists, two steals).

“It’s good for me down the road,” Lewis said. “I haven’t had a good start to the season so hopefully I can pick it up. This game really helped me. In these type of games I feel like I have to step up more and get everybody going.”

Attucks shot 59% from the field in the second half and committed just four turnovers for the game. Brownstown Central had 14 turnovers and was just 6-for-21 from the 3-point line, including 2-for-11 after halftime.

Hurt and Briscoe from Attucks, Brownstown Central’s Colby Hall and Parker Hehman and Kokomo’s Flory Bidunga joined Lewis on the all-tournament team. Hall led Brownstown Central (9-3) with 22 points and six rebounds against Attucks and Coomer added 14 points.

Attucks has a well-balanced team that can win a halfcourt offensive game or thrive in transition. In the first game against Kokomo, it was the 6-8 Briscoe who rose to the occasion and set the tone. Against Brownstown Central, it was the guard play that made the difference.

“I think that it builds trust,” Lewis said. “It builds confidence within our team knowing everybody can score and get their own bucket as well as play defense. I think that just makes us a better team. I love this team. I just told my brother that this is the best team I’ve ever played on, including the coaches and my teammates and everybody.”

In the consolation game, Kokomo (10-3) shot 78% from the floor and cruised to an 87-58 win over Brownsburg (6-5). Bidunga, the 6-9 senior and Kansas recruit, was dominant with 23 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots. Senior Karson Rogers added 22 points on 11-for-12 shooting and Zion Bellamy had 12 points and seven assists.

Brownsburg was led by Jordan Lomax with 12 points and Michael Addison with nine points on 3-for-5 shooting from the 3-point line.

In Saturday’s earlier action

Briscoe needed three changes of jersey to get through the Kokomo game. Blood on his No. 11 Crispus Attucks jersey forced a change to No. 25, then a return to No. 11 and finally No. 25 again for the entire second half.

It was not exactly Clark Kent changing into his Superman cape, but there is something about playing against other top big men in the state that motivates the Crispus Attucks junior. In this case, in Saturday’s Henry Community Health Hall of Fame Classic, the opportunity to go up against Kokomo senior and Kansas recruit Flory Bidunga.

“Great competition,” Briscoe said. “I like guys who push me to be better. We both got in foul trouble but it was a good battle.”

The 6-8 Briscoe finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals, setting the tone early, to help Crispus Attucks to a 69-59 win over Kokomo in the first game of the Hall of Fame Classic. Briscoe, before fouling out with 1:45 left and Attucks (8-3) leading by six points, drew the fourth foul on Bidunga on an up-and-under three-point play with 1:29 left in the third quarter to send him to the bench for a key stretch.

“As a freshman, he didn’t really want the spotlight,” Hawkins said of Briscoe. “Last year he had his moments, especially against (Xavier) Booker in the City tournament championship. But I think right now, he’s embracing and just wants to tell everybody, ‘I’m here.’”

Attucks trailed 44-43 going into the fourth quarter before a 3-pointer by Rutland helped open it up. A three-point play by Hurt with 2:26 left capped a 14-1 Tigers’ run to give Attucks a 57-45 lead with 2:26 left.

Kokomo (9-3) got as close as five points again before Hurt shut the door with a steal and basket following a missed free throw.

Hurt and Rutland led the Tigers with 16 points apiece. Hurt added five assists and Rutland had four.

Bidunga led Kokomo with 16 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots. Bellamy had 12 points and five assists and Rogers added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Brownstown Central 56, Brownsburg 48

Brownstown Central got out to a strong start and used a 12-0 run going into halftime – punctuated by Hehman’s buzzer-beater from just beyond halfcourt – to take a nine-point lead into the break.

The Braves (9-2) held off several Brownsburg runs in the second half, including one to pull within two points with five minutes remaining. Hall led Brownstown Central with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Chace Coomer added 15 points on 3-for-7 shooting from the 3-point line. Hehman, the Braves’ point guard, added 11 points and three assists while committing just one turnover.

“We had time to prepare this week,” Benter said of playing without Jack. “He tried to practice Wednesday and Thursday but we got the x-ray (Friday) and knew he couldn’t play. I think our guys were mentally prepared. There was no looking over their shoulder. Even without (Jack) we felt our skill level was as good or better than any of the four teams. It was just, ‘Are we physically gifted enough?’ Brownsburg’s not a team you can play and not be tough.”

Brownsburg (6-4) was led by senior Grant Porath, who finished with 18 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Brandon Addison provided a spark off the bench with 12 points, four steals, four rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes. Brownsburg forced 14 Brownstown Central turnovers and committed just six, but shot 33% from the field, including 4-for-23 from the 3-point line.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana boys basketball: Crispus Attucks wins first Hall of Fame title