A change in philosophy at halftime helped host Cassopolis hand Brandywine its first loss of the season Tuesday night.

Ranger head coach Ricky Evans felt his team settled for too many jump shots in the first half.

So Cassopolis ran more set plays in the final 16 minutes of the BCS Athletic Conference non-divisional game and came away with a 61-47 victory.

“The second half we tried to run more sets,” Evans said. “We wanted to play more under control and it worked out for us.”

The Bobcats (7-1) were looking to establish a new school record for the best start to a season.

Brandywine was unable to keep the Rangers off the glass the entire night, which led to plenty of second-change points for Cassopolis.
The game was nip-and-tuck through the first 16 minutes with Cassopolis leading 12-10 after one quarter, but found itself down 31-30 at halftime.

The Rangers’ Deoin Gatson poured in 12 of his game-high 23 points in the third quarter as Cassopolis opened up a 57-44 advantage.

“Gatson and (Bryce) Saxton gave us problems all night long with their quickness to the hole,” Brandywine coach Nathan Knapp said. “We played very poorly on help-side defense and they are just a very athletic team.”

Neither team shot the ball well in the final eight minutes as the two teams combined for just seven points.

Both teams also struggled at the free throw line as they combined to go 30-of-49 from the charity stripe.

Cassopolis (7-3) was able to make enough free throws down the stretch (6-of-8 in the final 1:33) to hold off the Bobcats.

Brandywine scored just three points in the fourth quarter on a Vinny Peel basket and a free throw by Chandler Plew.

Besides Gatson’s offensive output, the Rangers got 19 points from Bryce Saxton and eight points from Alex Emerson.

Hunter Slaughter had 21 points to lead the Bobcats, who also got nine points from Peel and six points from Cole Searles and Austin Knapp.

 

CASSOPOLIS 61, BRANDYWINE 47

At Cassopolis

BRANDYWINE 47

Marquise Davis 1 0-0 3, Hunter Slaughter 6 6-6 21, Chandler Plew 0 2-4 2, Cole Searles 3 0-0 6, Brady Duval 0 0-0 0, Vinny Peel 3 3-6 9, Austin Knapp 1 4-8 6. TOTALS: 14 15-24 47

CASSOPOLIS 61

Deion Gatson 7 9-14 23, Bryce Saxton 7 3-6 19, Alex Emerson 4 0-0 8, Shane Los 0 1-2 1, Marquise Curtis 2 0-1 4, Gary Kaimbo 0 0-0 0, Brandon Anderson 1 0-0 2, Mathew Pittman 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 22 15-25 61

 

Brandywine               10       31       44       47

Cassopolis                  12       30       57       61

3-point baskets: Brandywine 4 (Davis, Slaughter 3), Cassopolis 2 (Saxton 2). Total fouls (fouled out): Brandywine 21 (Davis, Knapp), Cassopolis 21 (none). Varsity records: Brandywine 7-1, Cassopolis 7-3. JV score: Brandywine 40, Cassopolis 32.