AVON – At 6-6 and a daunting presence inside, Brownsburg junior center Avery Gordon is usually the focal point for opposing defenses.

That was no different in Tuesday’s girls basketball Class 4A Sectional 12 opener at Avon, as the host Orioles swarmed Gordon early and often.

The Bulldogs made Avon pay, though, with strong ball movement leading to other players stepping up in a commanding 74-42 win. Brownsburg (13-11) moves on to face Plainfield in Friday’s semifinal.

Statewide scores, schedule: Indiana high school girls basketball sectionals

Gordon — a Purdue commit and one of the nation’s top-ranked juniors — still got hers, recording her ninth double-double of the season with a game-high 21 points to go with 11 rebounds. Junior forward Morgan Montgomery was the primary beneficiary of Avon’s double teams against Gordon, scoring 17 points with several coming on wide-open weakside layups. Brownsburg players assisted on 20 of the team’s 30 made field goals.

“I think because most teams focus on Avery and she brings a lot of attention, we’ve learned to work on knowing that the weak side is open,” said the 5-10 Montgomery, who added six rebounds to go with three assists and a pair of steals. “Avery is going to make her shots, but the weak side is always an option because they’re so focused on Avery.”

Brownsburg seemed to get virtually whatever shot it wanted early in building a 20-4 lead, with several coming on an extra pass. The unselfish play started early with senior guard Emma Hendricks passing up an open shot off a shot-fake and dribble to find Montgomery underneath for an easy lay-in and 4-2 lead. To cap the early run, Gordon waited for the double team and then dropped off a pass to Montgomery for another open layup.

Avon (8-15) made a push before the half, going on its own run to climb back into the game. Junior Mya Thompson’s 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer closed the deficit to 22-9. She hit another 3 to open the second quarter. Navaeh Wren followed with a triple to cut it to 23-15 and forced a Brownsburg timeout. That was as close as the Orioles would get. The Bulldogs adjusted to Avon’s press and closed the quarter strong, with Elle McCulloch splashing a 3 to end the half and give Brownsburg a 38-23 lead.

Junior Aniah Smith led Avon with 14 points and sophomore Makaylee Butts scored 13.

With different players running the point guard position for Brownsburg, Hendricks stepped up as the floor general Tuesday, leading the Bulldogs with a team-high nine assists to go with nine points and seven rebounds. Hendricks was a freshman along with Macy Twomey (nine points) on Brownsburg’s 2021 state runner-up team.

“Experience plays a role in tournament time,” Hendricks said. “That team chemistry you have provides such a strength to your team.”

Next up for the Bulldogs will be a test in the 15-7 Quakers. Plainfield won both regular-season meetings — one in double overtime and another in the Hendricks County tourney semifinals. However, the Quakers lost three of four to end the regular season. The win Tuesday was Brownsburg’s fifth straight.

“I just feel like we’re playing a lot better basketball right now and a lot smarter basketball,” said Brownsburg coach Debbie Smiley. “Hopefully that carries over against Plainfield. They’re a really good team. It’s always a close matchup. It’s a rivalry game like Avon. We have to focus on not beating ourselves and playing good basketball.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA girls basketball sectional: Brownsburg beats Avon