Friday’s boys basketball game between Brandywine and Bridgman turned into a 3-point shooting contest.

The Bees won that battle and the game, 85-73.

Bridgman made 14 shots behind the arc, while Brandywine connected on 10 in the BCS Athletic Conference Red Division game.

Nick Knowlton scored 30 points, including two 3-pointers, to lead the Bees. Devin Hays added 24, including seven 3-pointers, and Haiden Meyer had 18, including four 3-pointers.

Hunter Slaughter and Brady Duval each scored 18 points and combined for nine 3-pointers to lead the Bobcats. Vinny Peel contributed 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Austin Knapp totaled 12 points and 11 rebounds. Marquise Davis had nine points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

Brandywine was unable to complete a regular season sweep over Bridgman. The Bobcats won at Bridgman, 92-80 in overtime, earlier in the year.

On Friday, Bridgman made 10 treys in the second half. Hays’ 3-pointer gave the Bees the lead for good at 37-36 with 7:06 left in the third quarter. That 3-pointer was also the start of a 10-run by Bridgman with nine of the points coming on threes.

“They had some wide open looks and there were some where our kids played some tough D and they knocked them down,” said Brandywine boys basketball coach Nathan Knapp about Bridgman’s 3-point shooting. “They got into a rhythm in the second half. You can’t let a Bridgman team get into a rhythm.
“For us, we go our shooters back. We haven’t been shooting well in the last couple of games. We started moving the ball around and knocked a couple (3’s) down and started getting some confidence.”

A 12-3 Bridgman run in the fourth quarter sealed the game for the Bees. That stretch gave the visitors an 81-71 lead with 2:07 left in the game. Hays hit two 3-pointers during the run with one ending up a four-point play as Hays was fouled after making a 3.

Knapp felt his team could have been even more efficient on offense. Brandywine shot only 34-percent (22-of-64) from the field.

“We just didn’t play to our strength tonight,” Knapp said. “We’re a great inside-out team and we had the size on them inside with Vinny and Augie (Austin Knapp). We never really established our inside game at all. Give credit to Bridgman. They pressed us and were in our face the whole game. They forced us into quick offensive possessions.”

 

BRIDGMAN 85, BRANDYWINE 73

At Brandywine High School

BRIDGMAN 85

Julian Sheriff 0, Cam Mazurik 1, Ryan Chang 5, Devin Hays 24, Nick Knowlton 30, Drew Dow 0, Haiden Meyer 18, Collin Gaishin 7, Kole Hanke 0, John Hess 0. TOTALS: 29 13-21 85.

BRANDYWINE 73

Marquise Davis 9, Cole Searles 1, Vinny Peel 13, Austin Knapp 12, Hunter Slaughter 18, Brady Duval 18, Chandler Plew 2. TOTALS: 22 19-26 73.

Bridgman       15       34       58       85

Brandywine  18       33       53       73

3-point field goals: Bridgman 14 (Hays 7, Meyer 4, Knowlton 2, Chang), Brandywine 10 (Slaughter 5, Duval 4, Davis). Total fouls (fouled out): Bridgman 22 (none), Brandywine 15 (none). Technical: Brandywine (Searles). Shooting: Bridgman 29-of-66 for 44-percent, Brandywine 22-of-64 for 34-percent. Rebounding: Bridgman 35 (Gaishin 8), Brandywine 44 (Peel 13). Turnovers: Bridgman 6, Brandywine 16. Records: Bridgman 10-4, 5-2 BCS Red Division; Brandywine 11-3, 6-1 BCS Red Division.