Brentwood Academy captured a big league win on Friday night, cruising to a 64-51 victory at Ensworth to take a three-game lead in DII-AA East/Middle.

Freshman Cameron Johnson scored a team-high 19 points for Brentwood Academy (20-2, 7-1), and sophomore Jeremiah Oatsvall contributed 16 in the Eagles’ third straight win following last Saturday’s 28-point drubbing to Brentwood.

“This was a really important win,” Johnson said. “They’re our rival, obviously, and it’s a huge win after last Saturday. It gives us confidence back and gets us back on track.

“It puts us that much farther from the pack.”

The 6-foot, 185-pound Johnson, who scored 12 in the second half, spearheaded Brentwood Academy’s transition attack in the third quarter, which proved to be the difference.

“I don’t know whether it was conditioning or just a lack of effort,” Ensworth coach Ricky Bowers said. “There were eight straight points in layups, and that was it.”

Johnson’s fourth layup of the period capped an 11-2 run, spotting the Eagles their first double-digit advantage with 2:06 left.

“Whenever we are able to get the rebound and run, we have so many guards on the floor who can handle the ball,” Johnson said. “Anybody can start the break.”

Ensworth’s Jordan Bone, who finished with a game-high 23 points, buried a 3-pointer to bring the Tigers to within 46-39, but Brentwood Academy strung together eight unanswered points to begin the fourth quarter.

“I thought in the second half we did a better job of getting back on defense, locking down in the half court and rebounding the ball,” Brentwood Academy coach Hubie Smith said. “When we’re able to do that we’re really good in transition. You can’t get out in transition unless you can get stops.”

The Tigers (12-8, 4-3), losers in three of their last four, trailed for much of the first half before mounting a second-quarter rally in the form of three straight 3-pointers. Ensworth, which took its first lead on Desmond Chambers’ 3-pointer at the 2:50 mark, led 30-29 at the break.

“It goes back to the effort,” Ensworth senior P.J. Settles said. “We gave a good effort in the second quarter and we shot the ball better. We played sound defensively and didn’t give up too many wide open shots. We have to be consistent throughout the game.”

Reach Michael Murphy at 259-8018 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports. ​