BRIDGMAN — The inability to finish in the fourth quarter cost the Brandywine boys basketball team three times this year against Bridgman.

The third time came Monday in a Class C opening round district game. The Bees scored the final five points in the game and beat the Bobcats, 53-46.

Bridgman (16-5) advances to play Cassopolis (15-6) in a district semifinal game on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Cassopolis High School.

During the regular season, Bridgman beat Brandywine, 63-50, and 64-58. In the 13-point win, the Bees outscored the Bobcats, 31-8, in the fourth quarter. In the six-point win, Bridgman outscored Brandywine, 10-2, in the final 2:25 of the fourth quarter.

On Monday, Bridgman got a basket from Luis Geraldi and made 3-of-4 free throws over the final :39. Brandywine missed three shots over the final :35.

“We couldn’t get the ball to fall at the end,” said Brandywine coach Nathan Knapp. “It hurts. The kids gave all they had.”

Brandywine’s last lead of the game came with 7:41 remaining when Vinny Peel scored to give the Bobcats a 39-38 lead. Bridgman responded with an 8-3 run to take a 46-42 lead with 4:33 left in the game. Daniel Koziel’s 3-pointer capped that run. Koziel finished with a game-high 17 points, including five 3-pointers.

“In the first game we let (Nick) Knowlton go crazy and score 38 and then we focused on him when we played them at home,” Knapp said. “(Shivam) Patel then scored 25 at our place and then I was worried about Koziel tonight. I’ve seen games where Koziel has exploded.”

Knowlton scored 12 and Patel had 10 on Monday. Patel also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Brandywine cut Bridgman’s lead to 48-46 with 1:43 left in the game after getting a basket from Andrew Duckett.

Hunter Slaughter scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead the Bobcats, who finish at 13-8. Duckett added nine points and Andrew Boocher had eight.

“Hunter gives 110-percent,” Knapp said. “He a great ball player to have. He makes sophomore mistakes here and there but he’s tough and he’s going to make us better.”

The biggest lead of the game was eight points, which was owned by Bridgman at 34-26 and 36-28 in the third quarter.

There were five ties and eight lead changes in the first half, which concluded with the Bees taking a 28-25 halftime lead.

 

BRIDGMAN 53, BRANDYWINE 46

Brandywine 46

Austin Knapp 6, Andrew Duckett 9, Andrew Boocher 8, Zach Schmidt 3, Marquise Davis 0, Hunter Slaughter 14, Vinny Peel 6. TOTALS: 18 4-7 46

Bridgman 53

Julian Sheriff 3, Luis Geraldi 4, Shivam Patel 10, Daniel Koziel 17, Nick Knowlton 12, Collin Gaishin 4, Devin Hays 3. TOTALS: 19 7-10 53

 

Brandywine   11       25       37       46

Bridgman       9          28       38       53

3-point goals: Brandywine 6 (Slaughter 4, Duckett, Schmidt), Bridgman 8 (Koziel 5, Knowlton 2, Hays). Total fouls (fouled out): Brandywine 14 (none), Bridgman 10 (none). Shooting: Brandywine 18-of-42 for 43-percent, Bridgman 19-of-44 for 48-percent. Rebounding: Brandywine 21 (Knapp 8), Bridgman 25 (Patel 10). Turnovers: Brandywine 13, Bridgman 10. Records: Brandywine 13-8. Bridgman 16-5.