Only three players scored for No. 4-ranked Brandywine Monday night in the Class C District Tournament opener hosted by the Bobcats.

Brandywine really only needed one.

Senior all-stater Carlie Newman poured in a career and school record 41 points, 32 of which came in the first half, as the Bobcats claimed a 52-32 victory over Watervliet on opening night.

Newman finished with a triple, double as she also had 12 rebounds and 11 steals.

“I have seen her have a lot of phenominal games, but tonight she did her thing,” Brandywine coach Josh Hood said. “It’s the speed we play. That’s why we play fast. She’s going to find open space sooner or later and she did tonight in the first half.

“I thought our kids did a great job of finding her and she just got into a rhythm. That’s why she is an all-stater.  She in my mind, and I have been her three years at Brandywine coaching her, is the best player in the area the last three years no question about it.”

Watervliet outplayed the Bobcats (20-1) in the opening three minutes of the contest, but the first of Newman’s 3-pointers tied the game at 7-7 and was the beginning of an eight-minute stretch in which the Panthers didn’t score.

Watervliet led 7-4 when its dought began. By the time Lauren Richardson scored with 4:40 to play in the opening half, the Bobcats owned a 21-7 advantage.

The Panthers (15-6) never recovered.

“She is unbelievable,” Watervliet coach Jim Winter said of Newman’s performance. “And when she did miss a shot, she got the rebound and put it back in after that. I don’t know how many she missed, but it wasn’t very many.

“We could have gone box and one sooner, but I don’t know if it would have made any difference. The girls that would have done it, Patrionna’s (Patterson) hurt. That’s the best girl I would have had to do it. I don’t really think we have the horses to match up with her on that.”

By halftime, Brandywine owned a 37-16 advantage, which it extended to 50-26 heading into the final quarter of play. The Bobcats scored 24 points in the pivotal second quarter, including five treys and 19 points by Newman.

“I just played my game,” Newman said. “I don’t know what I was doing other than shooting and they were going in. Hopefully I can carry it through the whole post-season.”

The second half didn’t have a lot of scoring, but on the Brandywine side it really didn’t need much to maintain its advantage. The Bobcats finished with just 15 points in the second half.

Watervliet outscored Brandywine 16-15 in the second half.

Brooke Smith with eight points and Rachel Ort with a 3-pointer were the only other two Bobcats to score Monday night. Mackenzie Shelton dished out six assists for Brandywine.

The Panthers, who committed 38 turnovers and took just 26 shots from the field, was led by Richardson’s 15 points. Nicole Winter added four points and six assists.

Brandywine will now take on Benton Harbor Dream Academy Wednesday night in the second game of the doubleheader.

New Buffalo will face Bridgman at 6 p.m. with the Bobcats to follow at 7:45.

WATERVLIET 32

Nicole Winter 2 0-0 4; Kayli Dabicci 2 2-2 6; Alissa Rodriguez 0 0-0 0; Jamie Lee 0 0-0 0; Jayden McMiller 0 0-0 0; Patrionna Patterson 0 0-0 0; Skyler Coon 0 0-0 0; Lauren Richardson 6 3-7 15; Kirsten Sill 1 1-1 3; Casey Clark 2 0 0-0 4; Kelsey Griffith 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 13 6-10 32

BRANDYWINE 52

Carlie Newman 14 4-6 41; Rachael Ort 1 0-0 3; Victoria Ebersol 0 0-0 0; Mackenzie Shelton 0 0-0 0; Tia Hullinger 0 0-2 0; Brooke Smith 3 1-2 8; Mikayla Kemp 0 0-0 0; Madison Pellow 0 0-0 0; Hannah Horst 0 0-0 0; Miranda Smallmon 0 0-0 0; Samantha Bell 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 18 5-10 52

Watervliet 7 16 26 32

Brandywine 13 37 50 52

3-point baskets: Watervliet 0, Brandywine 9 (Newman 7, Ort, Smith). Total fouls (fouled out): Watervliet 9 (none), Brandywine 15 (none). Varsity records: Watervliet 15-6, Brandywine 20-1