With the game tied at 66, Dowagiac boys basketball coach Danum Hunt called no timeout in the final 22 seconds Monday against Edwardsburg.

The move paid off as Brandon Winchester-Jones scored with three seconds left to give the Chieftains a dramatic 68-66 Wolverine Conference West Division win.

The win improved Dowagiac to 4-1 in the division and 9-1 overall, while Edwardsburg fell to 3-2 in the division and 7-3 overall.

Before Winchester-Jones scored on a twisting move in the paint, Jackson Gaideski scored in the paint for the Eddies to tie the game at 66 with 22 seconds remaining in the game.

“I’m very happy with the decision,” Hunt about not calling a timeout said. “Usually, calling timeout allows the other coach to prepare a defensive set-up. We work on that situation with our offense daily.

“We want to give the ball to Brandon and give him a high screen and let him try to go finish. If he wasn’t able to finish he can catch (Keoante) Blackamore on the backside roll or kick out to (Harry) Reed in the corner.”

“I thought it was a great play,” Edwardsburg boys basketball coach Steve Wright said. “I think my guys were there (defensively) and (Winchester-Jones) made a heck of a split. We made him take a tough shot and he made it. It’s a credit to him.”

Edwardsburg called a timeout with 1.4 left and almost won the game. Jackson Gaideski inbounded a pass to Dante Razzano, whose shot just behind the midcourt line hit the back of the rim and off the basket.

“It’s pretty tough with one second,” Wright said. “We got a look and that’s all you can ask for.”

The Eddies rallied to tie the game at 64 after trailing 64-55 with 4:04 remaining.

“We did enough things down the stretch and were able to keep it close,” Wright said.

Trailing 34-31 at halftime, Dowagiac made its first eight shots in the third quarter and took a 49-48 lead with 1:58 left in the third.

“We kind of focused on in practice that rebounding and shooting would be key for us to win this game,” Hunt said. “The guys just came together and stepped up their effort and did the work.”

Dowagiac, which outrebounded Edwardsburg, 17-9, in the second half, was led by Harry Reed, who scored all 20 of his points in the second half. Reed hit four 3-pointers.

“Since I’ve been at Dowagiac he’s probably the purest and best shooter I’ve coached,” Hunt said. “He just has the ability to find the bottom of the bucket. I’m glad he’s playing for me and not against me.”

Blackamore added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Chieftains and Winchester-Jones 12 points and six rebounds.

Gaideski and Derek Pierce each scored 19 points to lead the Eddies. Gaideski pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds, while Pierce’s point total was a career-high. Razzano added 14 points, seven rebounds and six steals.

 

DOWAGIAC 68, EDWARDSBURG 66

Dowagiac 68

Keoante Blackamore 16, Brandon Winchester-Jones 12, Bryce Dodd 0, Harry Reed 20, Daquan Brooks 6, Tevin Fowlkes 7, Leroy Lewis 7, DeYonte Sullivan 0. TOTALS: 30 2-6 68

Edwardsburg 66

Dante Razzano 14, Jackson Gaideski 19, Isaac Vite 9, Dalton Raymond 2, Derek Pierce 19, Joe Queener 0, Jon Albrecht 0, Adam Kozinski 3. TOTALS: 26 11-16 66

 

Dowagiac                    8          31       52       68

Edwardsburg            14        34       48       66

3-point baskets: Dowagiac 6 (Reed 4, Winchester-Jones, Lewis), Edwardsburg 3 (Razzano, Vite, Pierce). Total fouls (fouled out): Dowagiac 16 (none), Edwardsburg 11 (none). Shooting: Dowagiac 30-of-59 for 51-percent, Edwardsburg 26-of-57 for 46-percent. Rebounding: Dowagiac 29 (Blackamore 12), Edwardsburg 32 (Gaideski 12). Turnovers: Dowagiac 18, Edwardsburg 14. Varsity records: Dowagiac 9-1, 4-1 West; Edwardsburg 7-3, 3-2 West