The boys basketball game Tuesday between Brandywine and Cassopolis was a tale of two halves.

The Bobcats, who led by as many as 19 points in the first half, survived a furious Rangers’ rally in the second half and beat Cassopolis, 73-62.

Brandywine, which led 30-11 with 3:02 left in the second quarter, saw its lead evaporate to 47-46 at the end of the third quarter. The Rangers wouldn’t get any closer as the Bobcats finished the game with a 19-10 run over the final 4:51.

“I’m pleased because our kids are putting leads on teams,” said Brandywine boys basketball coach Nathan Knapp, whose team improved to 7-3. “Now, we need to put teams away.”

The Bobcats, who went into halftime with a 32-19 lead, shot 50-percent (13-of-26) from the field in the first half. In contrast, the Rangers shot only 24-percent (7-of-29) from the field over the first 16 minutes.

“I would love to have that first half back,” said Cassopolis boys basketball coach Ricky Evans. “We were overconfident and Brandywine came in to win. They outplayed us.”

Evans saw a different looking Rangers basketball team in the third quarter as Cassopols made 11 of its 14 shots in the third to get back into the game.

“It was a one-point game and Cass started hitting shots and we kind of had a panic look,” Knapp said. “I think (against Cassopolis) we figured out that we need to keep attacking the basket.”

Six different Brandywine players scored at least eight points and five different players grabbed at least five rebounds. Austin Knapp led the way with 21 points and eight rebounds. Vinny Peel added 14 points and six rebounds and Andrew Boocher had 12 points and six rebounds.

Boocher’s three-point play gave Brandywine a 57-52 lead with 4:51 remaining in the game and it was the start of a critical 7-2 run.

“That’s this team,” Knapp said about his team’s balance. “We don’t have any superstars. We play as a team and we win as a team.”

Brandon Glover scored 14 points to lead the Rangers, who fell to 6-3. Dion Gatson added 13 points and nine rebounds and Noah Woods contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds.

 

BRANDYWINE 73, CASSOPOLIS 62

Cassopolis 62

Bryce Saxton 8, Alex Emerson 2, Noah Woods 12, Brandon Glover 14, Dion Gatson 13, Kiante Brown 0, Malik Ballard 8, Isaiah Crider 1, Matthew Pittman 4. TOTALS: 24 8-15 62

Brandywine 73

Zach Schmidt 8, Andrew Boocher 12, Andrew Duckett 9, Vinny Peel 14, Austin Knapp 21, Hunter Slaughter 9, Matt Vaughn 0, Cole Searles 0. TOTALS: 26 16-27 73.

 

Cassopolis                  8          19       46       62

Brandywine               19       32       47       73

3-point baskets: Cassopolis 6 (Saxton 2, Glover 2, Ballard 2), Brandywine 5 (Knapp 2, Slaughter 2, Duckett). Total fouls (fouled out): Cassopolis 23 (Saxton), Brandywine 14 (none). Shooting: Cassopolis 24-of-61 for 39-percent, Brandywine 26-of-51 for 51-percent. Rebounding: Cassopolis 31 (Woods 10), Brandywine 35 (Knapp 8). Turnovers: Cassopolis 12, Brandywine 11. Varsity records: Cassopolis 6-4, Brandywine 7-3