First-year Cassopolis boys basketball coach has seen his team grow from its early season struggles into one of the hottest teams in southwest Michigan.

The Rangers held off upset-minded Brandywine 58-54 to win its third straight contest Friday night.

The win was also the fourth in the last five games for Cassopolis, which improves to 7-6 overall and 1-2 in the Lakeland Conference.

The Rangers scored 20 points in the opening quarter to open up an eight-point advantage (20-12) after one quarter, but were held to just 10 points in the second quarter as the Bobcats rallied to get back into the contest and trailed by only four points at halftime, 30-26.

Neither team really lit up the scoreboard in the third quarter, combining for a mere 17 points, but it was enough to keep Cassopolis out in front heading to the final quarter, 41-32.

Brandywine (1-10, 0-3 Lakeland) outscored the Rangers 22-16 in the final stanza, but it was it was unable to overcome the early deficit.

Lynell Ballad led the Rangers with 13 points, while Tyler Prestly added 12 and Robbie Saxton 10.

Pierce Gleason had a game-high 24 points for the Bobcats, who also got seven points from Austin Knapp and six each from Alex Ulrickson and Michael Shelton.

The Rangers take on Lakeland Conference leader Buchanan Thursday night.

 

CASSOPOLIS 58

Tyler Prestly 4 4-9 12, Brandon Glover 1 2-4 4, Kenny Carson 4 0-1 9, Robbie Saxton 4 1-2 10, Lynell Ballard 5 3-4 13, J.J. Smith 0 3-4 3, Noah Woods 2 0-0 4, Trevon Brown 0 0-0 0, Vashawn Morgan 0 3-9 3. TOTALS: 20 16-33 58

BRANDYWINE 54

Andrew Duckett 0 0-0 0, Zach Schmidt 0 0-0 0, Pierce Gleason 7 5-12 24, Alex Ulrickson 2 1-4 6, Austin Knapp 3 1-2 7, Trent Moskwinski 1 3-7 5, Michael Shelton 2 1-2 6, Brock Hartline 0 2-2 2, Courtlan Gordon 2 0-0 4. TOTALS 17 13-29 54

 

Brandywine 12 26 32 54

Cassopolis 20 30 41 58

3-point baskets: Brandywine 7 (Gleason 5, Ulrickson 1, Shelton 1), Cassopolis 2 (Carson 1, Saxton 1). Total fouls (fouled out): Brandywine 22 (Duckett, Shelton), Cassopolis 24 (Carson). Technical foul: Brandywine (bench). Varsity records: Cassopolis 7-6, 1-2 Lakeland; Brandywine 1-10, 0-3 Lakeland