“Lucus (Brown) is an outstanding player and a great young man,” he said. “Always greets me and shakes my hand. He’s a class act.”

That was on full display Thursday night.

The 6-foot-1 senior poured in 32 points, including 20 in the first half, and the Warriors’ defense did the rest en route to a 70-40 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 West victory over the Trojans at the Southwestern High School gym.

“He’s been working so hard and that’s what makes me proud,” Salamanca head coach Adam Bennett said. “We don’t have to wonder what he’s going to do, because that’s what we see every day in practice.”

Salamanca’s Lucus Brown, center, attempts to split Southwestern defenders Chase Hartnett, right, and Connor Young, left, during Thursday’s CCAA Division 1 West game at Southwestern Central School. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

The win improved Salamanca to 10-3 overall and 5-0 In the division. Meanwhile, the Trojans, who committed 25 turnovers, fell to 4-8 and 1-4. Chase Hartnett led Southwestern with 14 points, but leading scorer Sam Arrington was held to 6.

“Adam did a great job switching up his defenses tonight and keeping us off-balance,” Emley said. “(He) really hurt us with the box-and-one on Sam and we couldn’t find any scoring from elsewhere.”

The Trojans shot 36% (15 of 42) from the floor, but managed just four field goals in the middle two quarters, which allowed the Brown-led Warriors to push their lead to 54-23 heading into the final period.

“Once again, we are kind of our own worst enemy with turnovers,” Emley said, “but credit their defense for creating havoc, too.”

Spearheading Salamanca’s “havoc department” was the ever-present Brown. Although final statistics for the Warriors were unavailable at press time, there’s little doubt there will be plenty of crooked numbers on Brown’s line. In addition to his 14 field goals, including three 3-pointers, the senior guard also had numerous rebounds, steals and assists.

“He dives on the floor for loose balls and he works as hard as anybody I’ve ever been around my entire life,” Bennett said. “He’s playing in rhythm. Really, in the last three games, I thought he’s taken really good shots.”

An example of Brown’s versatility came in the third quarter when he blocked a shot at one end, grabbed the rebound and feathered a nifty pass to teammate Cory Holleran, who was fouled going to the hoop. Not long after, Brown scored on a tip-in, drilled a 3-pointer, fired a no-look pass to Jaxson Ross for a layup and then scored another deuce.

It was three minutes of basketball at its best.

It also marked Brown’s third straight game of more than 30 points and his fifth of the season.

“He can score at all three levels,” Bennett said. “He can score inside, he can hit mid-range shots and he can, obviously, shoot from outside. I’m really proud of him, but knowing him he’s going to watch film on his way home and identify three or four things he needs to do to get better and he’ll work on them tomorrow.”

The Warriors return to action Tuesday when they travel to Olean.

“We’re in a nice spot offensively the way we’re sharing the ball,” Bennett said. ” … The thing is if you don’t continue to work on them and continue to build, you’re going to lose some of that stuff. We understand if we want to go where we want to go, we have to defend and we have to rebound every night. … We got a good result tonight, but it’s about the work, so we’ll get back to work at 3 o’clock tomorrow.”

Southwestern, meanwhile, will play at 1 p.m. Saturday at Frewsburg.

NOTES: Ross chipped in 9 points, Holleran had 8 and Maddox Isaac chipped in 6 for Salamanca. … Kaine Whitcomb came off the bench to nail a 3-pointer in the closing moments of the fourth quarter, prompting a wild celebration by his teammates. It was the first points of Whitcomb’s career. “That’s why you coach for moments like that,” Bennett said. … In addition to Hartnett’s 14 points — 11 of which came in the fourth quarter, courtesy of three 3-pointers — Arrington, Connor Young and Gabe Tyger all had 6 points.

SALAMANCA (70)

Herrick 0 0 0, Bradley 0 0 0, Isaac 2 1 6, Gillman 0 0 0, Crouse 0 0 0, ABrown 2 0 4, Ross 4 0 9, LBrown 14 1 32, Holleran 3 1 8, Winship 0 0 0, Trietley 2 1 5, Whitcomb 1 0 3, Austin 1 1 3. Totals 29 5 70.

SOUTHWESTERN (40)

Arrington 3 0 6, Young 2 0 6, Hartnett 5 0 14, Hayes 0 0 0, Harris 0 0 0, Larson 0 0 0, Kennedy 1 0 3, Tyger 2 2 6, Work 1 0 2, Milner 1 1 3. Totals 15 3 40.

3-point goals–Isaac, Ross, LBrown 3, Holleran, Whitcomb, Young 2, Hartnett 4, Kennedy.

Salamanca 21 13 20 16 — 70

Southwestern 11 6 6 17 — 40

Jayvees: Salamanca won.