By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
VICKSBURG – Jordan Buckallew grabbed a loose ball and threw up a 3-pointer as time expired to give host Vicksburg a 44-43 upset of Wolverine Conference leader Dowagiac on Friday night.
A rebound bounced out to Buckallew at the top of the key as time was running out. Buckallew, who already had a trio of 3-pointers, let the ball fly with 0.3 remaining on the clock. The ball banked off the backboard and in after the horn sounded.
The Chieftains had a chance to put the game away at the free throw line. Dowagiac missed three consecutive free throws in the final 26 seconds.
Dowagiac led 31-28 heading into the final quarter.
Vicksburg's Qylon Palmer hit a shot to cut the lead to 31-30 just eight seconds into the final period. The Bulldogs then took a lead on a basket by Tim Pearcy.
The Chieftains tied the score at 32-32 on a free throw by Chris Primley.
Dowagiac reclaimed the lead with 5:14 to play when Primley scored off an offensive rebound.
Buckallew hit the third of his four 3-pointers a minute later to give the Bulldogs a three-point lead.
Oscar Wilson tied the score with 3:30 remaining on a 3-pointer and Dowagiac's Amos Clark followed that up with a basket at the 2:32 mark to give the Chieftains a 39-37 lead.
The game was tied at 39-39 when Primley scored with 1:51 to play. Wilson then added the Chieftains' final basket with 1:05 to play to up the lead to 43-39.
Dan Schiedel cut the lead to 43-41 with 43.4 seconds remaining in the contest, setting up the last-second heroics.
"Every mistake we made tonight we just couldn't let go," Dowagiac coach Greg Blomgren said. "We were so focused on our mistakes. They (Vicksburg) believed and we didn't. We were tight tonight and I don't know why."
Dowagiac looked rusty at the outset of the contest and who would blame it. The Chieftains hadn't played a game in 24 days.
Still, the Chieftains scored first and after the game was tied at 4-4, Dowagiac went on an 8-0 run to take a 12-4 lead.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Buckallew cut the Chieftains' lead to 12-10 at the end of the quarter.
Vicksburg started out the second quarter on a 7-0 run, which allowed the Bulldogs to take a 17-12 lead with 5:02 to play in the first half.
The Chieftains outscored Vicksburg 8-3 over the final five minutes to force a 20-20 tie at halftime.
Dowagiac opened up a five-point advantage early in the third quarter as Shaun Bruens hit a 3-pointer at the 4:56 mark.
Vicksburg cut the lead to 29-28 with 45 seconds left in the quarter on a basket to Tyler Delabarre. The Chieftains ended up with a three-point advantage at the end of the period after Wilson scored off a steal with 18 ticks left on the clock.
"We were up two and had missed three free throws," Blomgren said. "The last two minutes what loose ball did we get? We hadn't been in one this tight all season. It shouldn't have come to this. We had plenty of opportunities. We just didn't get the job done."
Primley led all scorers with 23 points. Clark chipped in with eight points, while Wilson finished with seven points.
Schiedel led the Bulldogs with 13 points. Buckallew finished with 12 points.
Dowagiac is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Niles in its final non-conference game of the season. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.
DOWAGIAC 43
Chris Primley 11 1-5 23, Jamie Simpson 0 0-0 0, Amos Clark 3 2-2 8, Andrew Cuthbert 1 0-0 2, Oscar Wilson 3 0-1 7, Shaun Bruens 1 0-0 3, Ronnell Grady 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 3-10 43
VICKSBURG 44
Dan Schiedel 6 1-2 13, Qylon Palmer 2 0-0 5, Jordan Buckallew 4 0-0 12, Jon Cannell 1 0-0 2, Tyler Palsrok 2 0-0 4, Quincy Brown 0 0-0 0, Eric Brink 0 0-0 0, Joey Briggs 0 0-0 0, Tim Pearcy 2 0-0 4, Kyle Miller 1 0-0 2, Tyler Delabarre 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 1-2 44
Dowagiac 12 20 31 43
Vicksburg 10 20 28 44
3-point baskets: Wilson (D), Bruens (D), Palmer (V), Buckallew (V) 4. Total fouls: Dowagiac 8, Vicksburg 12. Fouled out: None. Records: Dowagiac 4-2, 4-1 Wolverine; Vicksburg 3-5, 3-3 Wolverine