By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
WATERVLIET – A 19-0 run to start the fourth quarter propelled the Cassopolis basketball team into the Class C regional title game on Wednesday night.
The Lady Rangers used a 25-0 sport at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth quarter to post a 51-23 victory over a stubborn Bangor team at Watervliet High School on Monday night.
The Lady Rangers (18-5) will now face Galesburg-Augusta (19-5) in Wednesday night's final. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
Cassopolis and Bangor battled tooth and nail through the first two and a half quarters.
In a sloppy first half of play, Cassopolis led 21-15 at halftime. The two teams were knotted at 8-8 after one period of play.
The Lady Rangers came out and started to slowly pull away from the Lady Vikings, but it wasn't until the final minutes of the third period when it all came together for Cass.
"We had a good talk at halftime," Cassopolis coach Floyd Foston said. "I basically told them that we didn't show up for the first half. That Bangor came ready to play and we didn't. That we had to pick it up defensively and be a little bit more patient on offense."
The Rangers did both of those things and came away with the victory.
"In the second half we came out, settled down and played out type of basketball," Foston said.
Dee Dee Hawkins led the Lady Rangers with 19 points. Michelle James finished with 14 points.
Bangor was paced by Ciera Quinn and Kinna Parker, both of whom finished with eight points.
Cassopolis reached the regional title game after losing in the semifinals each of the previous two seasons.
BANGOR 23
Ciera Quinn 4 0-2 8, Vanessa Massengail 0 0-1 0, Briana Shafer 0 0-0 0, Melissa Williams 3 1-4 7, Kinna Parker 4 0-4 8, Heidi Pensinger 0 0-0 0, Ebony Ells 0 0-0 0, Andrea Watson 0 0-0 0, Aspen Adams 0 0-0 0, Calmika Covington 0 0-0 0, Jalessa Campbell 0 0-2 0, Katelyn Moore 0 0-0 0, Stephanie McCoy 0 0-2 0, Brenna Brinks 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11 1-15 23
CASSOPOLIS 51
Dee Dee Hawkins 7 5-10 19, Tiffany Williams 1 2-4 4, Taira Williams 3 3-4 9, Nikitas Nelson 1 2-2 4, Michelle James 7 0-2 14, Becky File 0 0-0 0, Kia Luckey 0 0-0 0, Kenyah House 0 1-2 1, Shavone Allen 0 0-0 0, Robin Danzy 0 0-0 0, Taletha Andrews 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 13-24 51
Bangor 8 15 21 23
Cassopolis 8 21 30 51
3-point baskets: None. Total fouls: Bangor 17, Cassopolis 14. Fouled out: Quinn (B). Technical fouls: Bangor (too many players on the floor). Records: Cassopolis (18-5), Bangor 11-13