By By DAN WEISS / Vigilant/Argus
NILES -- The Cassopolis varsity basketball team made 9-of-10 free throws and scored 27 points in the fourth quarter to sneak away with a 73-68 Lakeland Conference win over Brandywine Friday night.
The Bobcats (4-8, 2-6) dominated the first half, outscoring Cassopolis (6-5, 4-3) 29-24 and grabbing 31 rebounds. The second half, however, was a different story as Brandywine managed just seven rebounds and was outscored 49-39.
In addition to its rebounding struggles after halftime, the Bobcats turned the ball over 12 times and failed to sustain their six leads throughout the second half.
Brandywine connected on only three 3-pointers the entire game and just one in the second half, a shot from half-court by Andy Low as the third quarter ended.
The Rangers, on the other hand, knocked down six 3-pointers in the second half. Eric Brown, who led all scorers with 29 points, made five of those.
Brandywine had trouble containing Brown, especially when Cassopolis ran plays specifically for him.
Simon Ballard also scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half for Cassopolis.
Brandywine grabbed a two-point lead, at 64-62, with 1:49 left on the clock when Mike Beauchamp made a layup. The Rangers, however, responded with a 7-0 run that included Brown's final 3-pointer.
The Bobcats had to play catchup the rest of the way, but Cassopolis made its free throws to seal the victory.
Beauchamp, Brandywine's starting center, led the Bobcats with 17 points.
Low also scored 16 points and Casey Udell added 12 points.
The Cassopolis junior varsity team beat Brandywine 73-48.
CASSOPOLIS 73
Ashton Danzy 3 2-2 9, Eric Brown 10 4-4 29, Simon Ballard 7 1-2 16, Chris Franklin 0 0-0 0, Mike Evans 0 0-0 0, Justin Lee 1 0-1 2, Garrit Hemme 0 0-0 0, J.T. Lee 0 0-0 0, Mike Glenn 0 0-0 0, Will Loux 0 4-6 4, Dan Stanage 3 3-5 9, Kirk Baucom 1 0-2 2. Totals: 25 14-27 73
BRANDYWINE 68
Casey Udell 5 0-0 12, Justin Sobecki 0 5-6 5, Mike Beauchamp 7 3-3 17, Danny Rauch 0 0-0 0, Andy Low 6 3-4 16, Gene McDonald 1 7-9 9, Alex Newman 1 1-2 3, Mike Nagy 0-3 0, Zach Bennett 1 0-0 2, Brett Shoemaker 2 0-0 4, Matt Weiger 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23 19-27 68Cassopolis 10 14 22 27--73
Brandywine 17 12 18 21--68
Three-point baskets: Cassopolis 7 (Brown 5, Ballard, Danzy), Brandywine 3 (Udell 2, Low). Team fouls: Cassopolis 23, Brandywine 17. Fouled out: Ballard (C).