DOWAGIAC — The Chieftains will take a four-game winning streak into Tuesday night’s battle with Paw Paw.

Dowagiac is coming off a 72-57 Wolverine South Division victory over Three Rivers Friday night.

Tuesday night’s contest at Dowagiac Union High School was setting up to be a battle among division leaders in the Wolverine until Paw Paw was defeated by Otsego 69-50 in a battle for first place in the North Division.

The change in the magnitude in the game will not affect Dowagiac as it continues to try and improve each time out and has its set set on a Wolvearine Conference championship according to coach Danum Hunt.

“Paw Paw is pretty good,” Hunt said. “It would be a mid-season preview of the conference championship game if we both keep playing well. Luke (Tollivar) has been playing well for them. We look forward to getting to it.”

Dowagiac and Three Rivers slugged it out in the first half as the Chieftains led 19-13 after one and 36-33 at the intermission.

Dowagiac (7-3, 4-0 Wolverine South) wore the Wildcats down in the final 16 minutes and pulled away.

Three Rivers was hampered at both ends of the floor without standout Tirrell Hausmanis, who picked up three fouls in the first half and his fourth early in the third quarter.

“They (Three Rivers) always have some guys with some speed and they embrace the run game, so they come to run as well,” Hunt said. “We were able to wear them down by keeping the pressure up for four quarters. We used different variations of presses and I think that wore them down in the end.”

Dowagiac took a 52-47 lead into the fourth quarter where it exploded for 20 points, while holding the Wildcats to just 10.

A better shooting second half was also a key for the Chieftains.

“That first half offensively, we were getting the ball inside and getting it to the basket, but the shots just were not going down,” Hunt said. “I told the guys to be patient because the ball would eventually go down.”

Hunt said that the effort at the defensive end spurred his offense.

“I think after we got going defensively that led to layups we were able to make some shots,” he said.

Dowagiac had a balanced scoring attack once again as J.J. Smith and Caleb Murphy both finished the night with 15 points, while Shaquan Stanback and Jamin Hunt each had 11 points.

Jalen Helvillin led Three Rivers with 14 points, while Parker Ellifritz added 13 and Hausmanis 12.