By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
WHITE PIGEON -- Seniors Davey Moran and Jeff Cooper propelled the Dowagiac varsity basketball team into tonight's championship game of the Sturgis Bank and Trust Holiday Basketball Classic.
Cooper and Moran combined for 53 points as Dowagiac routed arch rival Cassopolis, 73-51.
In the second game Monday night, host White Pigeon held off Edwardsburg, 60-52.
Dowagiac will take on White Pigeon (1-2) tonight at 7 for the championship. Cassopolis and Edwardsburg will play in the consolation contest at 5 p.m.
Moran scored the first 11 points of the game and finished with 25. Cooper, who was hot throughout the night, scored 28 points as Dowagiac dominated Cassopolis on both ends of the court.
The Chieftains (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak by shooting 71 percent from the field.
The Rangers (1-2) on the other hand couldn't buy a basket, hitting just 20 of 57 attempts (35 percent).
Moran did not miss a shot from the field as he went 11-of-11. Cooper was nearly as deadly as he hit eight of his 14 attempts.
Cassopolis coach Floyd Foston said that in order for his team to improve, it must play better defense.
The Rangers were led by Simon Ballard's 13 points. Ballard was one of four Ranger starters who were benched for missing or being late to practice over the holiday break.
Dowagiac…..73
Cassopolis….51
Dowagiac: Jamere Bacon 0 0-0 0, Landon Reed 1 0-1 2, Dustin Shaffer 1 0-0 2, Jeff Cooper 8 9-10 28, Davey Moran 11 1-1 25, Chris Primley 0 1-2 1, Richie Burling 4 0-0 9, Devon Jackson 2 1-2 5, Jesse Cox 0 0-3 0, Brandon Zachary 0 1-2 1. Totals: 27 13-21 73
Cassopolis: Dan Stanage 3 0-0 6, Will Loux 2 0-0 4, Garrit Hemme 0 0-0 0, Mike Evans 0 1-2 1, Ashton Danzy 1 0-0 2, Kirk Baucom 2 0-0 4, Simon Ballard 5 2-3 13, Mike Glenn 2 3-6 7, Eric Brown 3 1-2 9, J.T. Lee 2 0-0 5. Totals: 20 7-13 51.
Dowagiac 21 10 23 19--73
Cassopolis 15 7 8 20--51
3-point shooting: Cassopolis 4 (Brown 2, Lee, Ballard), Dowagiac 6 (Cooper 3, Moran 2, Burling). Team fouls (fouled out): Cassopolis 18 (none), Dowagiac 12 (none). Team records: Dowagiac 2-3, Cassopolis 1-2