By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
The Cassopolis varsity basketball team escaped Three Oaks with a narrow 52-48 victory over River Valley.
The win improved Cassopolis' overall season record to 16-1, while it is now 12-1 in the Lakeland Conference.
The Rangers trail undefeated Bridgman by a game in the league standings.
River Valley got off to a great start against the Lady Rangers, outscoring them 18-12 in the opening eight minutes of play.
Cassopolis, which hosts Eau Claire tonight at 7 p.m., cut into that advantage slightly in the second quarter.
The Lady Rangers held an 11-7 scoring advantage in the period but still trailed River Valley 25-23 at the intermission.
River Valley increased its lead to four points entering the fourth quarter, 37-33.
Cassopolis averted the upset bid by River Valley with 19 fourth quarter points.
The Lady Rangers defensively held the Lady Mustangs to just 11 points to get the win.
Shanice Thompson scored six of her 11 points in the final quarter, while Kelsey Gordon had six of her 12 points in the period.
Cassopolis also got nine points from Dee Dee Hawkins and eight points from Nikitas Nelson.
Michelle James finished with six points.
Gordon also had four rebounds and two steals, while Thompson had five rebounds.
Hawkins contributed 11 rebounds, four blocks and four steals to the Lady Rangers' statistics.
Nelson finished with seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks.
CASSOPOLIS 52
Kelsey Gordon 4 4-4 12, Dee Dee Hawkins 4 1-9 9, Nikitas Nelson 2 3-4 8, Michelle James 2 2-4 6, Taira Williams 1 0-0 2, Becky File 2 0-0 4, Shanice Thompson 2 7-10 11 Totals: 17 17-31 52
RIVER VALLEY 48
Maggie Hausmann 4 2-2 13, Morgan Olmstead 0 1-2 1, Heather Totzke 3 1-2 7, Emily Priest 0 0-1 0, Kali Lauzon 1 1-5 4, Val Schlutt 5 0-0 12, Jodi Grandholm 2 2-4 6, Tera Koebel 1 3-4 5 Totals: 16 10-20 48
Cassopolis 12 23 33 52
River Valley 18 25 37 48
Three-point baskets: Nelson (C), Hausmann (RV) 3, Schlutt (RV) 2, Lauzon (RV). Total fouls: Cassopolis 18, River Valley 23. Fouled out: Schlutt (RV), Grandholm (RV).
Varsity record: Cassopolis 16-1, 12-1 LAC