By SCOTT NOVAK

Dowagiac Daily News

When a team gets outscored at the free throw line 30-10, it usually doesn’t win the game.

Such was the case Tuesday night as host Dowagiac dropped a 90-79 decision to undefeated Otsego in Wolverine Conference action.

The Bulldogs went 30-of-45 from the charity stripe, while Dowagiac was just 10-of-14.

The Chieftains (2-3, 2-3 Wolverine) were whistled for 29 fouls compared to only 13 for Otsego.

“Yeah 90 points is too much to give up, especially when you put them on the free throw line 35 or 40 times,” Dowagiac coach Danum Hunt said. “When you put them on the free throw line that much and they are making them, it’s tough to win a game.”

Despite the disparity in the foul shots, Dowagiac was able to keep the game close until the closing moments.

The Chieftains led 19-15 after one quarter, but trailed 46-36 after the Bulldogs tossed in 31 second quarter points.

Dowagiac shaved a point off that advantage heading into the fourth quarter as it scored 21 points in the third period.

Trailing 66-57, Andrew Cripe opened the final stanza with one of his two 3-pointers.

A basket by Dontel Highsmith with 7:25 remaining cut the Otsego advantage to 66-62.

The Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0 Wolverine) quickly upped their advantage back to eight points, but a technical foul on the Otsego bench allowed Dowagiac to close the lead down 72-66 with just over six minutes remaining.

Back-to-back buckets by Jason Turner, including a 3-pointer closed it to a four point advantage (72-68) and Darius Wilson’s dunk with 5:31 to play pulled Dowagiac to within two points.

Unfortunately, Otsego’s brother tandem of Derek and Jared Klein came to the rescue.

Derek scored nine of his game-high 29 points in the final quarter, while Jared added seven of his 19 points to hold off the Chieftains’ comeback.

“Those Klein kids are great players,” Hunt noted. “They have been good players ever since they have been there. They are tough to compete against. They stepped up at big times because they are big-time players. We knew about them and we prepared for them as well as we could, but they both had big games tonight.”

Otsego also got 15 points from Carl Nord.

Turner led the Chieftains with a career-high 19 points. Highsmith and Wilson both finished with 15 points and Damone Huff 12 points.

“Turner came up big,” Hunt said. “We have been talking the past couple of weeks here. He’s been a little frustrated because his shot hasn’t been falling, but then again, he hasn’t been taking a lot of shots. I told him you can’t score unless you put the ball up. He started putting it up tonight and he did what I expected him to do. I expect him to do that night in and night out because he has the ability to make shots.”

OTSEGO 90

Jordan Campbell 2 0-0 5; Anthony Trobock 0 0-0 0; Ian Burleigh 0 1-2 1; Jared Klein 7 5-8 19; Nolan Potter 1 4-6 6; Ray Scarff 0 0-0 0; Derek Klein 7 12-13 29; Carl Nord 5 5-9 15; Jeremy Metz 3 0-2 6; Reid Dugan 3 3-5 9. TOTALS: 28 30-45 90

DOWAGIAC 79

Dontel Highsmith 5 5-6 15; Troy Butcher 1 3-4 5; Andrew Cripe 2 0-0 6; Jason Turner 7 0-0 19; Chris Craft 0 0-0 0; Tremail Butcher 2 2-2 7; Pierre Reed 0 0-0 0; Darius Wilson 7 0-2 15; Damone Huff 5 0-0 12; Cody Cox 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 29 10-14 79

Otsego 15 46 66 90

Dowagiac 19 36 57 79

3-point baskets: Otsego 4 (Campbell 1, D. Klein 3), Dowagiac 11 (Cripe 2, Turner 5, Tre. Butcher 1, Wilson 1). Total fouls: Otsego 13, Dowagiac 29. Fouled out: Craft (D), Tre. Butcher (D). Varsity records: Otsego 7-0, 5-0 Wolverine; Dowagiac 2-3, 2-3 Wolverine