By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
WHITE PIGEON -- Seniors Davey Moran and Jeff Cooper propelled the Dowagiac varsity basketball team into the finals of the Sturgis Bank and Trust Holiday Basketball Classic tonight.
Cooper and Moran combined for 53 points as Dowagiac routed arch rival Cassopolis, 73-51.
In the second game Monday night, host White Pigeon held off Edwardsburg, 60-52.
Dowagiac will take on White Pigeon (1-2) tonight at 7 for the championship. Cassopolis and Edwardsburg will play in the consolation contest at 5 p.m.
Moran scored the first 11 points of the game and finished with 25. Cooper, who was hot throughout the night, scored 28 points as Dowagiac dominated Cassopolis on both ends of the court.
The Chieftains (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak by shooting 71 percent from the field.
The Rangers (1-2) on the other hand couldn't buy a basket, hitting just 20 of 57 attempts (35 percent).
Moran did not miss a shot from the field as he went 11-of-11. Cooper was nearly deadly as he hit eight of his 14 attempts.
Cassopolis coach Floyd Foston said that in order for his team to improve, it must play better defense.
The Rangers were led by Simon Ballard's 13 points. Ballard was one of four Ranger starters who were benched for missing or being late to practice over the holiday break.
Edwardsburg…52
White Pigeon…60
A late Edwardsburg rally fell short Monday night in the second game of the Sturgis Bank and Trust Holiday Basketball Classic.
The Eddies (1-2) were led by Nathan Peak's 17 points. Nick Roth added 14 points.
White Pigeon was paced by Adam Hillman's 15 points. Giles Miller added 13.
The Chiefs shot 48 percent from the field, while Edwardsburg connected on 40 percent of its attempts. White Pigeon held a 35-23 rebounding advantage over the Eddies.
CASSOPOLIS 51
Dan Stanage 3 0-0 6, Will Loux 2 0-0 4, Garrit Hemme 0 0-0 0, Mike Evans 0 1-2 1, Ashton Danzy 1 0-0 2, Kirk Baucom 2 0-0 4, Simon Ballard 5 2-3 13, Mike Glenn 2 3-6 7, Eric Brown 3 1-2 9, J.T. Lee 2 0-0 5. Totals: 20 7-13 51.
DOWAGIAC 73
Jamere Bacon 0 0-0 0, Landon Reed 1 0-1 2, Dustin Shaffer 1 0-0 2, Jeff Cooper 8 9-10 28, Davey Moran 11 1-1 25, Chris Primley 0 1-2 1, Richie Burling 4 0-0 9, Devon Jackson 2 1-2 5, Jesse Cox 0 0-3 0, Brandon Zachary 0 1-2 1. Totals: 27 13-21 73
Cassopolis 15 7 8 20 -- 51
Dowagiac 21 10 23 19 -- 73
Three-point baskets: Cassopolis 4 (Brown 2, Lee, Ballard), Dowagiac 6 (Cooper 3, Moran 2, Burling). Total fouls: Cassopolis 18, Dowagiac 12. Technical: Lee (C).
EDWARDSBURG 52
Zach Rooney 0 0-0 0, Nick Roth 6 0-1 14, Doug Shuttleworth 1 0-2 3, Nathan Peak 7 0-0 17, Derek Tighe 3 0-1 6, Phil Bretschneider 3 0-1 6, Chris Nugent 1 0-0 2, Anthony Peak 2 0-0 4. Totals: 23 0-5 52.
WHITE PIGEON 60
Troy Niblock 4 0-0 9, Adam Hillman 5 4-4 15, Mike Schmeling 4 0-0 8, Ross Yoder 4 0-0 9, Giles Miller 5 2-2 13, Dan Schutter 0 0-0 0, Simon Cholometes 2 2-4 6. Total: 24 8-10 60
Edwardsburg 14 14 15 9 -- 52
White Pigeon 18 15 11 14 -- 60
Three-point baskets: Edwardsburg 6 (N. Peak 3, Roth 2, Shuttleworth), White Pigeon 4 (Niblock, Hillman, Yoder, Miller). Total fouls: Edwardsburg 11, White Pigeon 12. Fouled out: Schmeling (WP). Technical: Edwardsburg (Anthony Peak).